SKYLARK ' 319 



rippling 'chirrup' " and is uttered at intervals during the low, 

 undulating flight. 



Field marks. — In size the skylark is about 7 inches long. It is read- 

 ily distinguished from the woodlark by its longer tail and by having 

 only a faint light streak through the eye. Its greater size and more 

 deliberate movements distinguish it from the pipits, while it has also 

 a distinct crest, which is not nearly so long as the crested lark but 

 which is frequently raised during times of excitement. The two outer 

 tail feathers are white, but the rest of the coloring is not very distinc- 

 tive, as the general effect is various shades of earthy brown, with light 

 under parts. 



Fall. — The abnormal migration witnessed during hard weather in 

 winter has been described already under "Food", but besides this 

 there is a normal southward trend of birds from the more exposed 

 parts of northern Scotland ; some of these birds apparently cross the 

 Channel or migrate west to Ireland. There is also a great immigration 

 from September to November on our east Britain coast from the Baltic 

 countries, but the presence of these visitors is not normally noticeable 

 on our south coasts, except under conditions already described. Mi- 

 gration takes place both by day and night, but preferably by day. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Breeding range.— This includes the whole of the British Isles, the 

 Faeroes, and on the Continent north to the shores of the Arctic Ocean, 

 latitude 71° N. in Norway, 681/2° in Sweden, Finland (scarce in east 

 and north), and northern Kussia. Its southern limits extend through 

 middle Europe south to southern France, northern Italy, Austria, 

 northern Hungary, and central Russia. It is replaced by local races 

 in the Iberian Peninsula, northwest Africa, most of Italy, and south- 

 east Europe, as well as in Asia. 



Winter range. — This includes the greater part of the British Isles, 

 while typical birds occur in the Iberian Peninsula, northwest Africa 

 east to Cirenaica, also in Italy, most of the Mediterranean islands 

 (Balearic Island, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, and Malta), the Balkan 

 Peninsula, and the Caucasus in southern Russia. It has also been 

 recorded in winter from Madeira and the Canary Islands. 



Egg dates. — In the British Isles the first eggs may be found quite 

 exceptionally late in March, but most eggs are laid from late in April 

 or in May onward to June and July. Late nests have been recorded 

 in August, September, and even October (young in nest in Orkney Isles 

 on September 19, and 3 eggs nearly fresh on October 17 in Lancashire) . 



England : 5 records, March 26 to April 26 ; 34 records, May 1 to 27 

 (22 after May 16) ; 16 records, June 1 to 17; and 4 records, June 30 

 to July 20. 



