262 ENGLISH BIRD LIFE 



parental instinct of the Lark is so strong that if 

 the old bird be captured with young, she will not 

 only rear her own offspring, but will continue to 

 feed almost any number of alien nestlings which 

 may be introduced to the cage. 



Although the Skylark is resident in English 

 fields and corn-lands during the whole year, the 

 flocks are augmented in the autumn by immense 

 flights of immigrants from the Continent. The 

 number of birds reaching these shores is altogether 

 incalculable, the tide of migrants being seen at 

 times to flow steadily onwards throughout the 

 whole day. 



The Woodlark differs materially from the Sky- 

 lark both in appearance and in habits. It is a 

 much shorter bird, is more conspicuously marked 

 on the breast, and bears above the eye a dis- 

 tinguishing light-coloured streak. Although it 

 avoids the deeper woodlands, it constantly perches 

 upon trees, and its song is heard from the topmost 

 boughs as well as when the bird is hovering. Like 

 that of the Skylark the nest is placed upon the 

 ground in the shelter of growing herbage. The 

 eggs — four to five in number — are of a faintly 

 greenish-white ground colour, freckled with olive- 

 brown. The Woodlark is nowhere an abundant 

 species, and its distribution is largely confined to 

 the more southern counties of England. 



Of the four other species of Lark included in the 

 British list, the Shorelark, distinguished by its 

 black head and throat, is a bird of extremely rare 



