TiiK Crested Lark 191 



however, he told me he was quite certain that it was a Wood-Lark, so I gave him 

 the money : he hurried off so quickly that I doubted again ; and, taking it in- 

 doors to the light, I discovered that the bird was a hen Sky-Lark whose tail had 

 been pulled out and had half-grown again. I could not help laughing, but I 

 never bought a bird from that' man afterwards. 



The egg figured on the plate is from Mr. A. B. Farn's collection. 



Familx—ALA UDID. E. 



The Crested Lark. 



Alanda crisfafa, LiNN. 



RESIDENT in Central and Southern Eiirope, its northern range extending 

 up to 60° N. lat. in Russia and Sweden ; North Africa, southward to 

 Senegambia and the Niger on the west coast, and from Abyssinia east- 

 ward, through Arabia and India, to North China. 



To Great Britain this species appears to be a rare straggler : most examples 

 have been obtained in Cornwall, one in summer and the four others in autumn 

 and winter ; one is said to have been caught in the Isle of Wight, and two have 

 been obtained in Sussex. The statements — that one has been taken from a nest 

 in the Isle of Wight, and that it has occurred in Ireland, require verification.* 

 It is also reported from Blackheath and Macclesfield. 



There are many slight climatic modifications of this Lark, all of which 

 have been regarded either as species or subspecies. Tlie typical form has the 

 upper parts greyish-brown, watli darker centres to the feathers, excepting on the 

 rump and upper tail-coverts, which are sandy-brown ; the long pointed crest has 



* If a'.l the stories respecting the nesting of birds in the Isle of Wight are to be accepted, it mnst be a 

 very wonderful place ; not only in birds, but in insects, it is reputed to be exceedingly rich in rarities ; I once 

 bad a small New Zealand Jlolh shown to me by a man who assured me that he had caught it near Veulnor. 



