128 Pictures of Bird Life 



nest. This is one of a group of niagnifieent elms known as 

 tlie " Three Sisters," elose to tlie New lliver. In countries 

 where game preservation is not thought so muc-li of. and 

 where tlie population is more scanty, the Raven still nests 

 in trees. Two nests I took in tlie south of Spain in 1897 

 were placed on the toj) of tall pine-trees, and contained 

 five eggs apiece. This was in 3 J ay : with us nidification 

 is begun in January, and eggs are laid while snow is thick 

 on the ground. 



Among our native songsters, the Skylark ranks with 

 the best, and abounds e\ery where, on either pasture or 

 arable land. A little later than the Thrush to be"in, it 

 e^en rivals that hue musician in the superb (piality of its 

 song. Rising higher and higher over the tields. it poiu's 

 forth its joyous melody with a vigour and zest perfectly 

 marvellous, until, its highest pitch being reached, it descends 

 still singing, till, nearing the ground, it folds its wings and 

 drops back to earth. Occasionally I lia\'e both heard and 

 seen the Lark sing on the ground. Once in particular I 

 well remember one singing lustily while perched on a clod 

 of earth within a few yards of where I was hiding. It has 

 even been known to sing at night {Zoologist, October, 1892). 



The nest, like most of those placed on the ground, is 

 exceedingly difficult to find. Even on almost bare ground 

 it makes the most of some small inequality, perhaps only 

 sheltered by one small, low plant, so that it takes a sharp 

 eye to discover its whereabouts. Hundreds of nests are 

 destroyed annually by Rooks, Crows, and Jackdaws, which 



