SONG OF SKY-LARK. 481 



excrements, I think that they generally, when paired, roost 

 within a few inches of each other. I still see daily parties of 

 from four to eight feeding together. The method which I 

 adopted to ascertain whether or not the females sing was to 

 walk in the fields, and when I perceived anything remarkable 

 in the song of a Lark, to shoot him. I thus procured eight or 

 nine, but none were females. My daily experience confirms 

 me in the statement which I formerly made to you, that Larks 

 sing less during windy than during cold weather. Yesterday, 

 the 14th May, we had showers of snow and hail. Till 10, 

 therm. 83°, wind W., but not high ; yet the Lark was in the 

 air. The Willow Wren, the White-throat, the Hedge Chanter, 

 the Blackbird, the Chaffinch, and Yellow Bunting were sing- 

 ing gaily. To-day the wind was high, and few songs were 

 heard, but in sheltered glens I heard many Willow Wrens, 

 and White-throats."" 



The following observations on the same subject have recently 

 been naade by Mr Weir. " It is maintained by some modern 

 naturalists that the state of the weather has not much influence 

 on the songs of birds, except so far as it may affect their supply 

 of food. All I can say is, that for these eight or ten days past, 

 which have been uncommonly cold, with a strong east wind, 

 the sweet and harmonious song of our Sky- Lark, known and 

 admired by all, has scarcely been heard in this neighbourhood, 

 and when heard, its duration has been very short. 



During the most part of the 14th May (1839) I paid some 

 attention to the singing of the Larks. In the forenoon and 

 the greater part of the afternoon, it was very cold, with showers 

 of snow, the wind from the east, and the thermometer between 

 37° and 40°. I saw and heard a considerable number of them 

 singing. Most of them however sung only about a minute 

 and none above two minutes. Between five and six in the 

 evening the wind changed to the west, and it became consider- 

 ably milder. I observed one continue to mount in the air, and 

 sing in full melody for the space of five minutes. It soared to 

 a very great height, and took about half a minute in descend- 

 ing. I saw another remain in the air singing for four minutes ; 



VOL. 11. I I 



