The Crested Lark 193 



frequenting sandj^ roads — in which it is fond of dusting itself — and running with 

 great rapidit}', while I have often seen it glide beneath a horse wlien at a slow 

 walk, rather than take wing. Its flight is undulating and resembles that of the 

 Wood-Lark. It is not gregarious, and is generall}' seen singly, (U- iu pairs and 

 fauiily parties. The short but rather liquid and melodious song of the male is 

 generally uttered on the ground, though often duriug a short flight, and occasion- 

 ally from a bush ; the note may be syllabled as ' coo-hai.' The young are fed 

 on insects and their larvae, but seeds and grain form the principal food of this 

 species, and in snowy weather it may be seen examining horse droppings, etc." 

 " Manual of British Birds," p. 244. 



Dixon sa3's that in xA-lgeria he " often saw this bird soar iuto the air for 

 perhaps a hundred yards or so, all the time warbling its simple song." 



Speaking of it in India, Theobald describes the nest as "a little grass in 

 a hole in the ground, with four ovato-pyriform 3-ellowish-white eggs uuiformly 

 freckled with greyish-yellow and neutral tint." 



Jerdon says that the " Chendul " "feeds on various insects, chiefly grass- 

 hoppers, and in default of this food, on grains and seeds." In his " Birds of 

 India," vol. II, p. 437, he gives the following account: — "It is not known in 

 Bengal nor iu the Himalayas, nor iu the countries to the eastward. It prefers 

 dry open sandy plaius, or ploughed land, to grass, wet meadows, or cultivation. 

 It rises in the air singing, though not so high as A. guli^iila* nor is its song so 

 flue. In winter it may be seen in small parties, or sometimes iu considerable 

 flocks, occasionally on roads and barren places." 



From what Jerdon says, the " Chendul " as the Hindoos call the species 

 is much esteemed on account of its song (although Seebohm states that the latter 

 is short and monotonous, not unlike that of a Corn- Bunting) he observes : " It is 

 frequently caged in all parts of the country, and the bird is kept in darkness by 

 several layers of cloth wrapped round the cage ; the custom being to wrap an 

 additional cover round the cage every year. In this state it sings very sweetly, 

 and learns to imitate most exactly the notes of various other birds, and of animals, 

 such as the yelping of a dog, the mewing of a cat, the call of a hen to her 

 chickens, etc., etc." 



Herr Rausch speaks of the Crested Lark as an original songster, but considers 

 that, as regards its adult wild song it is an insignificant and almost worthless 

 singer. Perhaps Herr Rausch, like Seebohm, may only have heard the bird sing 

 like a Corn-Bunting, aud it is quite possible that the different races of the species 

 vary considerabl}' as regards the excellence of their performance. This we know 



* All eastern race of the Sky- Lark. — A.GB. 



VuL. n. D3 



