72 BIRDS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 



case of its coiif^ener. Both birds roll in the dust, like 

 poultrj^, rather than wash themselves in water ; but the 

 woodlark occasionally " tubs," and no doubt in its wild 

 state often wets itself in the damp ^rass it is in the habit 

 of frequenting. Food, both when wild and tame, the same 

 as the last. 



Shorelark. — This is rather a pretty bird, and, at first 

 sight, reminds one somewhat of the cirl bunting. The 

 head is ornamented with a double crest, that is, a narrow 

 pencil of almost black feathers starts from the front of the 

 head, and reaches back past the ears on either side. The fore- 

 head and the face, except a black " moustache," is yellow, 

 with a reddish tinge in the centre. Tiie chin also is 

 yellow, and tlie upper part of the neck black. The breast 

 and other lower parts have a pur[)lish ]iink tin^^e, and tlie 

 former is slightly spofkled with spots of a darker shade of 

 the ground colour. The bill, legs, and feet are dark horn- 

 colour. 



It is a northern species, but individuals occur in Britain 

 every winter ; but it is not known to breed there. The 

 young are said to be hatched in July (Audubon), and to 

 leave the nest before they are able to fly. The eggs, four 

 or five in number, are greyish white, spotted with pale blue 

 and brown spots. 



The food consists of seeds, insects, blades of grass, and 

 the succulent parts of the leaves of other plants. They are 

 easily kept in confinement if a similar diet is provided for 

 them, but they require a good deal of gritty sand to enable 

 tliem to fully digest their food. 



The shorelark, as its name implies, is met with on the 

 beach, where it catches and eats marine insects, small 

 molluscs, and Crustacea. 



The male soars, but to no great elevation, when singing 

 his sweet and plaintive song, and in the cage should be pro- 



