PERCHING BIRDS. 97 
Our winter flocks vary greatly in numbers; in some 
years they are much more abundant than in others. In 
January, 1850, this was particularly the case ; the frost 
in that year was very severe, and during its continuance 
the larks frequented the turnip-fields and fed on the 
tender shoots of the tops, as well as on those parts of 
the roots themselves where the sheep had bitten. Of 
this I satisfied myself by frequent observation. They 
- never, however, assemble in such immense numbers on 
the downs of the southern counties. 
I have not had the pleasure of seeing the skylark re- 
move its eggs, as it is reported to do, but on two occasions 
I have known a nest laid bare by the mowers in my field, 
and on visiting each a few hours afterwards, the eggs 
were gone. No one had been in the field, and though 
in the case of one which was exposed, some prying crow 
might have abstracted the eggs, yet as there were no 
fragments of shells around, this did not appear to have 
been the case, while the other was almost concealed 
from view by the swathe of clover which partly projected 
over it. In both cases the eggs disappeared, and I have 
little doubt were removed by the bird itself. Any one 
_ who will take the trouble to place an egg in the foot of 
a skylark will find how easily it is clasped by the toes 
and their long claws, and what facilities these offer for 
its safe removal. 
I have only met with one other member of this family 
—viz., the Woodlark (A. arborea), and it is by no means 
common, I have seen it often enough to be well ac- 
quainted with it, and have watched its flight, so different 
from any of its congeners; but it is sufficiently rare to 
be very interesting when it does occur. I once found its 
eggs, which were of a whitish ground colour, rather 
H 
