634 ALAUDIDiE. 



at present unacquainted, its distribution in Northern France 

 is not universal, for according to Vieillot it is only known in 

 those districts of Normandy where vines are grown. Its 

 habits have been described at great length by many ob- 

 servers, and would seem to partake in some measure of 

 those of our two common species — its flight, in particular, 

 resembling that of the Woodlark. But the Crested Lark 

 shews a greater partiality than either for the haunts of man : 

 not only is it found frequenting roadways, but it is met 

 with in the neighbourhood of houses, often entering villages 

 and the smaller towns, perching on walls or low roofs and 

 seeking its food on middens. The cock has a soft and 

 pleasant song, constantly to be heard from early spring to 

 September, and generally given in the air, but occasionally 

 when there the bird is perched on an elevation, while, from 

 what Vieillot says, the hen also sings though less well. 

 It runs quickly, often avoiding a passer-by in that manner, 

 and if made to take wing quickly realights. The nest is 

 generally placed in a hoof-print or other shallow depression 

 of the ground, but sometimes on a bank or mud-wall, or even 

 on the ridge of a low thatched shed. It is built very like 

 that of the Skylark, and the hen lays four or five eggs of a 

 french-white, sparsely freckled, spotted and blotched with 

 hair- or olive-brown and dull lavender. They measure from 

 I'l to "80 by from '72 to "65 in. The Crested Lark feeds 

 on various insects, worms, seeds and grain, and the Author 

 remembers when travelling from Calais to Paris, seeing some 

 of these birds occasionally picking, like Sparrows, at the 

 horse-droppings in the road, flying off, on the approach of 

 a carriage to the roadside, settling on the footpath or perching 

 on any low rail till the vehicle had passed, and then return- 

 ing to renew their search. 



The Crested Lark is found in Belgium and though scarce 

 there it breeds near Ostend, but it is comparatively com- 

 mon in parts of Holland. It has occurred in Heligoland 

 and inhabits Denmark, where it is however very local. It 

 reaches also the extreme south of Sweden, wintering as 

 well as breeding there. Throughout the whole of North 



