174 OUR FAVOURITE SONG BIRDS 



locality it frequents. The Sky-Lark is a thorough 

 ground bird, living for the most part upon the 

 ground, rearing its young upon the ground, and 

 drawing almost its entire sustenance from it. It 

 cannot be called a particularly shy bird, but it is 

 one that does not permit of a very close approach, 

 unless when skulking in the herbage ; then it often 

 remains in the cover until almost trodden upon 

 before it rises with a very musical double note. It 

 is seldom or never seen to perch in a tree or upon 

 a hedge ; it lives upon the ground, where it runs 

 about in a very Pipit-like way. 



To some extent the Sky-Lark is a perenn'al 

 songster ; for very frequently, even in mid-winter, 

 an exceptionally warm day will cause it to resume 

 its long-lost music. But this bird is essentially a 

 singer of the spring ; at no other time of the year is 

 it so full of music, nor does its matchless song pour 

 forth in greater volume. The song flights of the 

 Sky- Lark are very remarkable ; no other British 

 bird approaches them, not only for the altitude 

 reached, but for the duration of the ascent. In 

 March and early April, when sexual rivalry is 

 strong within its tiny breast, the song of the Sky- 

 Lark is heard to greatest advantage. Who amongst 

 us, but has not lain down at some time or another 

 amongst the long grass of the meadows, or the 

 shorter herbage of the windy downs, during these 

 warm days of spring to watch the Sky- Lark sour 



