' ; 



The Sky-lark is a handsome bird about seven inches long, of a gravelly colour, having 

 a pointed conical beak, and long toes spreading out from one point, the hinder one being 

 provided with an uncommonly long claw. Its food consists chiefly of grain and seeds, 

 but it feeds its young exclusively with insects and caterpillars. 

 Graham says: 



" Thou, simple bird, dwellest in a home 

 The hranblest." 



And truly is it so, for the destination of the bird is to a life on the ground, where it 

 builds in any little recess it can find, such as that between two clods, where it forms its 

 nest of dn,- grass and herbs. It has generally four eggs at a time, but it will breed twice 

 and even thrice in a season. 



The nest exposes the young to many accidents, which the instinct of the mother is 

 ever anxiotis to repair. When alarmed, however, it is said she will even remove her 

 eggs or her young to a new and safer situation. A young hen-bird was brought to 

 Buffon, in the month of May, which was not able to feed without assistance. She was 

 hardlv fledged, when he received a nest of three or four unfledged sky-larks. She took 

 a strong liking to the new comers, which were scarcely younger than herself. She 

 tended them night and day, cherished them beneatli her wings, and fed them with her 

 bilL Nothing could interrupt her tender offices. If the young ones were taken from 



• .Xlnuda .\rv(ti»d.». 



