SKYLARK. 619 



in the south of Hampshh-e (Zool. s.s. p. 3647) has noticed 

 this species migrating in countless hundreds from north-east 

 to south-west. " They flew comparatively low," he says, 

 " and their only business seemed a hasty retreat to a more 

 congenial and hospitable neighbourhood. They made little 

 noise during their journey, but their numbers must have 

 been unlimited, as they were passing the whole of the day, 

 and even in the evening twilight I could still detect the 

 migration going on." Montagu remarks that in the winter 

 of 1803 the number seen in the south of Devon was far 

 beyond anything that appeared in the course of the next ten 

 years, and Mr. Murray Mathew (Zool. p. 7381) tells how 

 that at Christmas 1860 flock after flock resorted to Lundy 

 Island in a severe frost. Perhaps the earliest record of their 

 vast congregations in this country is that given by Fuller in 

 his well-known ' History of English Worthies ' (London : 

 1662, part i. p. 273) wherein he mentions the great wonder 

 of an incredible number of Larks, " for multitude like Quails 

 in the Wildernesse", that visited the city of Exeter during 

 its siege by the Parliamentarians in the cold winter of 

 1645-46, which birds, " by their safe digestion into whole- 

 some nourishment", whereof he says he was "an eye and 

 mouth witness", contributed to the resources of its defenders, 

 '* providing a Feast for many poor people, who otherwise had 

 heen 2>e7-ished iov provision.'^ "I will save my credit", he 

 adds, " in not conjecturing any number ; knowing, that herein 

 though I should stoop beneath the truth, I should mount 

 above belief". The greatest proportion of the Skj'larks that 

 thus throng to our southern counties no doubt steadily 

 pursue their way, so far as they are permitted,* to foreign 

 shores, but it must not be supposed that aU leave us in the 

 winter. On the contrary a good many stay with us through 

 hard frost, but even these perform a partial migi-ation, re- 

 jpeatedly shifting their haunts according to the state of the 



* The extension of the electric telegraph has of late added to the dangers of 

 migration. Mr. Graj' mentions his having seen near Girvan the passage of a 

 flock of Larks acro.ss a line which was accompanied by the destruction of dozens, 

 and the Editor has frequently noticed a Lark's wing hanging to the wire.s. 



