226 THE BIRDS OF KENT 



discovered in a field in which some cows, being tethered, 

 had eaten the pasture close to it, but had left a tuft 

 around it, in which the bird remained unharmed and 

 unconcerned." 



Dr. A. G. Butler writes : " The mother-bird displays 

 considerable persistency in attending to her young, and 

 is very careful in concealing her nest as much as possible. 

 A remarkable instance of this came under my notice some 

 years ago, when visiting the Isle of Sheppey. Happening 

 to meet a shepherd, I asked him if he ever met with 

 Larks' nests ; he led me back about 3 yards, and 

 pointed to a patch of water-weed at the edge of the 

 path as a nest. I stooped down and found that the 

 weed was regularly interlaced in the edge of the nest, 

 over which it fell, completely concealing it." 



In his ornithological notes from Romney Marsh, 

 Captain Boyd Alexander states that " on June 16, 1896, 

 two Sky-Larks' nests were found in a meadow, contain- 

 ing four and two eggs respectively, perfectly white — 

 a variety which is identical with the texture of the 

 Kingfisher's egg. The nest of four eggs was quite good, 

 but the other had been deserted." 



While collecting on the beach at Dungeness in 1900, 

 Mr. T. Hepburn says : " May 10 to 14 : The Sky-Larks 

 were nesting everywhere in great numbers, even right 

 out on the open beach. July 20 : Found a nest with 

 two eggs in it, and was told of one being found the 

 previous week containing eight eggs. May 18, 1902 : 

 Sky-Larks exceedingly numerous ; in fact, this species, 

 the Meadow-Pipit and the Wheatear were the most 

 numerous birds in this district. Found a Sky-Lark's 

 nest built in a hollow among a heap of stones on the 

 roadside, containing four much incubated eggs. This 



