The Wood-Lark 189 



horn-brown; iris hazel. The female differs soniewhal as in the Sk3'-Lark ; the 

 wing being deeidedly shorter in this sex than in the male. Yonng l:)irds are more 

 rnfons above, the feathers tipped with buff; below they are more 3'ellow and much 

 more freely spotted with black than in adults. 



On account of the different character of the nostrils (in this species) which 

 are half exposed and overhung by an operculum, Dr. vSharpe and others have 

 separated it as a distinct genus — Lullula, Kaup, doubtless suggested by the French 

 " IvU-lu," a name given as an indication of its flute-like notes. 



Col. L. H. I. Irb}', in his " Ornithology of the Straits of Gibraltar," sa3'S 

 that " on the Andalucian side the Wood-Lark is sparingly and locally distributed 

 during the winter months up to as late as the 21st of April, frequenting scrub 

 where not \&xy thick, a favourite locality near Gibraltar being the Chaparaks 

 (ground covered with brushwood) in the Cork-wood. Well-known to the vSpanish 

 bird-catchers, and highly valued as a cage-bird ; they assured me that the Wood- 

 Lark never remains to nest near Gibraltar, but they arc known to breed near 

 Malaga." 



The Wood-Lark is onl}' to be found in timbered country; not that it confines 

 itself strictly to the immediate neighbourhood of woods, or clearings in plantations, 

 parks, and groves, although these are its favourite resorts ; for it also frequents 

 commons ; but trees appear to be necessary' to its happiness, and where these do 

 not exist it will not be met with. 



Although very fond of perching on the branches of trees, the Wood-Lark feeds 

 principally on the ground, where it also roosts and builds its nest. The latter is 

 placed in a depression in the earth, sometimes under a grass-tussock or small 

 bush ; it is more compactl}' built than that of the Sk^^-Lark ; sometimes 

 of couch-grass and a little moss, with finer grass and a little hair for a lining ; 

 sometimes wholly of grass bents, the finer ones forming the lining. The eggs, 

 which in this country are often deposited by the middle of March, are apparently 

 not laid in Central Spain until the beginning of May (Lilford) or in the Parnassus 

 until the third week in that month (Secholiin) : they number from four to five, and 

 are huffish- or greenish-white, spotted with reddish-brown, or brownish-lilac, and 

 with underlying greyer spots : as with the allied species they may either be evenly 

 distributed over the entire surface, or more densely massed at the extremities, or 

 in a zone near the larger end ; as a rule, however, the spots are smaller and less 

 confluent than in eggs of the Sky-Lark, those of the Wood-Lark being generall}' 

 admitted to more nearly' resemble some varieties of those of the Crested Lark. 

 The Wood-Lark is double-brooded, and I have never been out of town cjuite eaidy 

 enough for the first brood. 



Vol. U. C3 



