BRITISH BIRDS. 7 1 



blades of grass, and insects, a diet that must be provided for 

 it if it is wished to preserve it in confinement, where oats, 

 soaked to the point of germination, are much reHshed by 

 the bird, which also eats soaked oatmea], as well as ants' 

 eggs and meal worms. 



The song, though extremely pleasing when heard out of 

 doors beneath the free canopy of heaven, is rather too loud 

 for the house, and is much more enjoyable in the open. 



The young are easily reared on oatmeal and milk, wath 

 ants' eggs and small insects. These birds will sometimes 

 breed in an aviar3^ 



WooDLARK. — This bird differs in several respects from 

 the last. For example, it does not soar to nearly such 

 a height when singing, but it has a sweeter and less pene- 

 trating song ; it also perches on trees, and sings from that 

 elevation. 



It is much the same colour as the skylark, but has 

 rather a yellower tinge throughout. It has no crest, a very 

 short tail, and also a shorter spur. The nest and eggs 

 have a general resemblance to those of the preceding 

 species, but the latter vary a good deal. While the sky- 

 lark measures from 7^ to 7^- inches in full length, the 

 length of the woodlark is little more than G inches, of 

 which the tail includes less than 2. It is a more delicate 

 bird than the last, and more difficult to preserve in the 

 house ; but with strict attention to cleanliness, else it will 

 speedily contract sore feet, and a liberal supply of insect 

 food, it may be preserved for eight or ten years, which is 

 probably as long as it would live out of doors, or longer. 



It is a good plan to have the cage in which it is kept 

 provided with a canvas top to keep the bird from hurting 

 its head when it rises, and the same remark applies, even 

 more forcibly, to the skylark. The woodlark's cage should 

 be provided with a perch, but this is unnecessary in the 



