PERCHING-BIRDS. 129 



species with briglitly coloured under parts bearing a strauge superKcial 

 resemblance to certain American species of' Meadow-Lark " {S/unie//a) 

 belonging to the family Icteridu' (p. 132). The Cunimon Cuckoo fre- 

 quently places licr egg in tlic nests of AVagtails and Pipits, the Titlark 

 or ^Icadow-Pipit (.1. /ini/cnsis] {2376j being a t'avouriti' host. 



Family XXXl. ALAUuin.t. Larks. 



Of the iuuidred oi' uKjrc species recognised^ tlie majority are iniiab- [Cuse 78. 

 itants of the Old World, but the Horned or Shore-Larks {Otoconjs) 

 (2394 6) are also found in America where they range as far south as 

 Colombia in South America. Larks are almost entirely terrestrial in 

 their habits and generally frequent open grassy plains or desert districts, 

 but the species of Mirafra (2392) and Lulhilu prefer the vicinity of 

 bushes or copses^ and frc(|uently jKich, while Otocnrus, e.Kcept during the 

 winter mouths, dwells on the high uplands. The habit of soaring w hilc 

 uttering their song is common to the group, and with the e.xception of 

 a few species of Mirafra, all nest on tlie ground. The eggs arc generally 

 white, closely spotted witli brown anti grey. As in the Wagtails and Pipits 

 the inner secondary quills are greatly developed and equal in length to 

 the primaries, but the Larks arc distinguished from these and other 

 Passerine birds by having the hinder aspect of the metatarsus scutel- 

 lated or covered with scales. The Sky-Lark [Alattdu arvcnsis) (2389), 

 and the Wood-Lark [Lullulu arhoreu) (2390) are the only resident 

 species in the British Islands, but the European Horned Lark (O. al- 

 pestris) (2394) is a more or les.s i-egular winter visitor, and the Crested 

 (2388), Short-toed (2399), and White-winged (2400) Larks are occa- 

 sional stragglers to our slioies. The Fiucli-Larks (Fi/rr/ivlauda) 

 (2397 8), have short thick bills and form a rather distinct genus with 

 the sexes dift'ering in colour. 



Family XXXII. Fkinoillid.i:. FiNciiiis and BiiStings. 



The Finches form one of the largest families of Song-birds and [C'aaes 

 numbei' about six hundred species, which arc nearly universally distri- ''•^i^'^-! 

 buted. As may be inferred from the structure of their sliort, stout, 

 conical bill, they live principally on seeds. Li many species the summer 

 dress IS gained not by moult, but by tiie shedding of the edges of the 

 winter plumage, so that the luulerlying pattern comes into prominence. 

 The change thus effected is specially marked in the male of the Snow- 

 Bunting {PlectropJicnchc nicuhs) (2473), the rufescent winter dress 

 becoming entirely black and white in summer. Thiee subfamilie sare 

 recognised : the Grosbeaks {(Joccothraustlnce) , the true Flinches [Frlagil- 

 linee), and the Buntings [Ember iziiue), characterised in tlie typical forms 



