92 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



These blacks are replaced by brown in the female, and her 

 head and wing-coverts are also brown. In autumn and early 

 winter broad chestnut tips obscure the black (as shown in 

 Plate 40) and chestnut tinges the crown, ear-coverts and 

 breast ; the bill is then yellow with a dark tip. These tips and 

 edges wear off, and by January I have seen males showing 

 much black and with the brown tints very faint. The young 

 are much browner, most of the feathers having more or less 

 dark centres, giving the birds a spotted appearance. Length, 

 6'5-7 ins. Wing, 4*2 ins. Tarsus, "9 in. The female is the 

 smaller bird. 



Family ALAUDID.E. The Larks. 

 Skylark. Alauda arvensis Linn. 



Everybody knows and appreciates the Skylark (Plate 40), 

 but it would be hard to say where any particular bird was bred, 

 for our race occurs in most parts of Europe and is very migra- 

 tory. Although nesting throughout the British Isles and many 

 remaining all winter, others of our home-bred stock emigrate 

 in autumn and return in spring as summer visitors, the first 

 reaching our shores towards the end of February. The 

 northern and eastern coasts receive huge numbers of immi- 

 grants in autumn, some as winter visitors, others birds of 

 passage, coasting south. Ireland receives its share, and severe 

 weather in winter causes westward movement of our winter 

 flocks. 



Undoubtedly the Skylark's fluent song and the ease with 

 which it may be watched mounting high on quivering wing 

 until it is merely a vocal speck in the blue, accounts for its 

 popularity. It is not a showy bird, but its short crest, usually 

 elevated when on the ground, and its habit of walking give it 

 character, and, except for the Wood-Lark, it stands alone. 



