THE SKYLARK. 



This is not an American bird. 

 I have allowed his picture to be 

 taken and placed here because 

 so many of our English friends 

 desired it. 



The skylark is probably the 

 most noted of birds in Europe. 

 He is found in all of the coun- 

 tries of Europe, but England 

 seems to claim it. Here it stays 

 during the summer, and goes 

 south in the winter. 



Like our own Meadow Lark, 

 he likes best to stay in the fields. 

 Here you will find it when not 

 on the wing. 



Early in the spring the Sky- 

 lai'k begins his song, and he may 

 be heard for most of the year. 



Sometimes he sings while on 

 the ground, but usually it is 

 while he is soaring far above us. 



Skylarks do not often seek 

 the company of persons. There 

 are some birds, you know, that 

 seem happy only when they are 

 near people. Of course, they 

 are somewhat shy, but as a rule 

 they prefer to be near people. 

 AVhile the Skylark does not seek 

 to be near persons, yet it is not 

 afraid of them. 



A gentleman, while riding 

 through the country, was sur- 

 prised to see a Skylark perch on 

 his saddle. When he tried to 

 touch it, the Lark moved along 

 on the horse's back, and finally 



dropped under the horse's feet. 

 Here it seemed to hide. The 

 rider, looking up, saw a hawk 

 flying about. This explained the 

 cause of the skylark's strange 

 actions. 



A pair of these Larks had 

 built their nest in a meadow. 

 When the time came for mow- 

 ing the grass, the little ones 

 were not large enough to leave 

 the nest. The mother bird laid 

 herself flat on the ground, with 

 her wings spread out. The 

 father bird took one of the little 

 ones from the nest and placed 

 it on the mother's back. She 

 flew away, took the baby bird 

 to a safe place, and came back 

 for another. 



This time the father took his 

 turn. In this way they carried 

 the little ones to a safe place be- 

 fore the mowers came. 



Like our Meadow Lark, the 

 Skylark builds her nest on the 

 ground — never in bushes or 

 trees. Usually it is built in a 

 hole below the surface of the 

 ground. It is for this reason 

 that it is hard to find. 



Then, too, the color of the nest 

 is much like that of the ground. 



Four or five eggs are usually 

 laid, and in two weeks the little 

 larks crack the shells, and come 

 into the world crying for worms 

 and buffs. 



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