THE BHARAT AND ITS KINDRED 151 



Lark lasts from the middle of April to 

 nearly the end of June. Legge extends 

 the breeding season in Ceylon up to 

 August. They build twice in a year, some- 

 times beginning as early as February and 

 continuing till May. Then again from 

 August to October and even later. The 

 nest is always placed in a shallow depression 

 scratched by the birds themselves, slightly 

 concealed from view, under the shelter of 

 some clod of earth, large stone, tuft of grass 

 or other herbao:e, or dense stunted bush. 

 The material they use is entirely fine grass 

 twisted round and round the hole nearly an 

 inch thick. Three is the usual complement 

 of eggs, the maximum number recorded 

 being five. Sky-Larks never lay eggs twice 

 in the same nest but always build a new one 

 for every brood. Both parents share the 

 pleasures of building, hatching, and feeding 

 the young. Even long after the latter leave 

 the nest, they are fed and watched by their 

 parents, and return at evening, for a week 

 or so, to sleep in the nest. 



