STARLINGS, CROWS, LARKS, WOODPECKERS, ETC. 413 



on the head. The tail is hiowii exce])t llie 

 outside feathers, whicli are white ; the 

 tliroat and ii])per part of the breast are pale 

 l)ro\vii, streaked with darlver brown ; the 

 abdomen is pale yellowish-wliite ; the legs are 

 strong, and the feet especially formed for walk- 

 ing, the hind toe being long and straighter than 

 with the perching birds. All these points are 

 well depicted in our coloured plate. Tliough it 

 is very difficult to distinguish the sexes, the 

 female is slightly smaller than the male, and its 

 plumage usually rather darker. Song or no 

 song is the best guide as to sex, for we have had 

 some of these small dark birds undoubted cocks 

 and the fmest songsters we ever 

 possessed. In fallow lands, or 

 meadows, in a slight indenta- 

 tion of the ground, the Skylark 

 builds its nest ; it is very simply 

 constructed of dry bents of 

 grass, and the eggs are from 

 three to six in number. Tlie 

 young are easily reared, if pro- 

 perly attended to, on the food 

 recommended for young War- 

 blers, though they are inex- 

 orable in their demands to be 

 fed early. This should be 

 about four or five o'clock, and 

 by no means later than six 

 o'clock, when a few mouthfuls 

 must be given, and so on at 

 short intervals during the day. 

 A little given often is far 

 better than overcramming. 

 Birds thus reared make good 

 specimens for exhibition purposes, and. as a 

 rule, are very tame : though some wild caught 

 birds equal them in this respect. The Lark is 

 strong and hardy, long lived, and will stand 

 much cold weather. Unfortunately, fowlers 

 sadly decimate them during the winter months, 

 as they are considered a table dainty. Larks 

 are very fond of dusting, and wlien caged 

 should always be provided with plenty of road 

 sand (such as may be found in gutters after a 

 heavy shower), or sea or river sand, such a dust 

 bath getting rid of parasites in the plumage. No 

 perches are required, but a piece of turf should 

 be placed in the circular front of the cage. An 

 illustration of a suitable cage in which to exhibit 

 these birds is given on this page. It should be 

 16 or 18 inches long, 9 inches high, and 8 inches 

 deep, and in colour creamy white inside and 

 rosewood outside. The living-cage should be 

 similar, but not less than 2 feet long, 10 inches 

 high, and 10 inches deep, and need not have 

 the circular front, the turf being placed in a 

 corner. The top of the cage may be made of 

 wood or canvas stretched tightly over and 



tacked securely. Many prefer the latter 

 method, so that if the l)ird is startled and jumps 

 upwards, it docs not injure its head ; but wood 

 is safer for the show cages. As regards diet, 

 adult Larks do well on any good insectivorous 

 food with a few live insects added, such as 

 gentles, live ants' cocoons, wasp grubs when pro- 

 curable, and a meal-worm or two as a variation. 

 A little tender lettuce minced up fine, grated raw 

 carrot, or even cucumber grated fine, can be 

 mixed with the food occasionally, which should 

 be made crumbly moist by adding a little 

 water. A little canary seed or crushed hemp 

 seed may also be given occasionally as a further 



The 

 WoodlarK. 



I.\KK SHOW CAGE. 



tit -bit. Tlie essential points of an exhibition bird 

 are size, steadiness, perfect jjlinnage, rich colour, 

 and good marking above on the face, throat, and 

 breast, as shown on our jilate. 



The Woodlark, Alaiidu urborea (Linn.), is a 

 very local resident, nowhere abundant, but most 

 fre([uent in the southern and 

 wi stern counties, breeding there 

 and becoming rarer towards the 

 north and restricted to a few places in Ireland. 

 It is also partially migrant, and is found gener- 

 ally distributed throughout Europe and Persia, 

 migrating southward in the winter. This 

 species, as the name indicates, is more woodland 

 in its habits than the Skylark, or, indeed, any 

 British Lark. In its ways it resembles the 

 Tree Pipit, and, while not an arboreal bird, 

 clings to woodland country or places interspersed 

 with old hedges and copses of brushwood. It 

 loves to sit on some tree or bush, taking flights 

 therefrom, singing the while, and ascending in 

 spiral gyrations. Its notes are considered 

 superior to those of the Skylark, and are cer- 

 tainly softer and more melodious, but of much 



