250 SKY-LARK. 



Larks remain on the northern side of the Baltic ; on Heligoland as 

 many as 15,000 have been caught in a single night, and immense 

 numbers are taken on passage, as well as in winter, in the south of 

 Europe. The Sky-Lark visits Northern Africa, where a few breed 

 on the slopes of the Atlas ; its migrations extending regularly to 

 the Canaries and occasionally to Madeira. An example was shot 

 at Hamilton, Bermudas, on June 12th 1850 ; while the importation 

 of this species to the United States, Australia and New Zealand is 

 notorious. 



The nest, often commenced in the first half of April, and placed 

 on the ground in ' a hollow among growing crops, or under the 

 shelter of some tuft, clod of earth &c., is made of dry grass, with a 

 finer lining of the same. The 3-5 eggs are dull grey, thickly 

 mottled and often zoned with olive-brown : measurements '94 by 

 •68 in. Incubation lasts fourteen days, and two broods are generally 

 produced in the season. The food consists of insects and worms, 

 with seeds of various kinds during the colder portion of the year, 

 and some grit to aid digestion. When the germination of wheat 

 is delayed, and before the leaf is "in two blades," the Sky-Lark 

 does harm by biting the plantlet ; but sentimental persons who 

 own no wheat consider the bird's song to be ample compensation 

 for the injury to farmers. Every one must be familiar with the 

 rapturous thrill of the Sky-Lark, as, rising from the ground, it soars, 

 still singing, until almost lost to sight ; but it sometimes utters its 

 song while on the ground, and, exceptionally, I have seen a bird — 

 unmistakably of this species and not a Tree-Pipit— giving forth its 

 joyous carol while swaying in the wind on the topmost branch of a 

 tree some twenty feet in height. Like other members of the family, 

 the Sky-Lark is fond of dusting itself to get rid of insect parasites. 



The adult in spring has the general plumage of the upper parts 

 warm yellowish-brown, streaked with dark brown, especially on the 

 crown and back; over the eye a buffish-white streak; quills dark 

 brown with buff outer margins and greyish-white tips, bastard 

 primary very small ; tail-feathers with dark brown centres and tawny 

 edges, except the outer pair, which are chiefly white, while the 

 .second pair have white outer webs; under parts bufifish-white, 

 streaked with dark brown on the throat, breast and flanks ; bill 

 dark brown above, paler below ; legs yellowish-brown. The dimen- 

 sions vary greatly: average length 7-3 in. ; wing 4-3 in. The sexes 

 are alike in plumage, but the female has shorter wings. In the 

 young bird the feathers are broadly tipped with buff ; in autumn 

 both young and old have a tawny tint. 



