THE SKYLARK 121 
again. A writer in the Magazine of Natural History maintains 
that ‘those acquainted with the song of the Skylark, can tell, 
without looking at them, whether the birds be ascending or station- 
ary in the air, or on their descent ; so different is the style of the 
song in each case’. Mr. Yarrell is of the same opinion, and I have 
little doubt that they are correct, though I am not certain that I 
have myself attained the skill of discriminating. In July, the 
Lark ceases its soarings and song together, but in fine weather, in 
October, it receives a new inspiration and is musical again. From 
time to time, during winter, if the season be mild, it resumes 
its aérial habits, but it neither ascends so high nor sings so long, 
two or three minutes becoming now the limits of its performance. 
Like most other birds, it sings least about noon and the first two 
hours of the afternoon ; but it begins before sunrise, having been 
heard at midsummer as early as two o’clock in the morning, and 
it sometimes continues its song till late on into the night, having 
been heard at ten o’clock when it was quite dark. Occasionally, 
too, it sings on the ground ; and, in a cage, as all the world knows, 
it pours out its melody with as much spirit, as if its six inches of 
turf could be measured by acres, and the roof of its little cage were 
the vault of heaven. The following stanza in French is equally 
successful in imitating the song of the Skylark and describing its 
evolutions : 
La gentille Alouette avec son tirelire, 
Tirelire, relire et tirelirant, tire 
Vers la voite du ciel; puis son vol en ce lieu 
Vire, et semble nous dire: Adieu, adieu, adieu. 
The Lark builds its nest in a hollow in the ground, the rut of a 
cart-wheel, the depression formed by a horse’s hoof, or in a hole 
which it scrapes out for itself. The nest is composed of dry grass, 
and lined with finer fibres. It lays four or five eggs, and rears two 
broods in the year. It displays great attachment to its young, 
and has been known, when disturbed by mowers, to build a dome 
over its nest, as a substitute for the natural shelter afforded by the 
grass while standing, and to remove its young in its claws to another 
place of concealment. In a cage, even the male is an excellent 
nurse. Mr. Weir mentions one which brought up several broods 
entrusted to its care, and a similiar instance has fallen under my 
own notice. Larks frequently become the prey of the Hobby 
and Merlin, which pounce on them as they are on the point of leaving 
the ground, and bear them off with as much ease as they would a 
feather. But if an intended victim discovers its oppressor in time, 
it instantly begins to ascend with a rapidity which the other cannot 
follow, carried on as it is by the impetus of its horizontal flight. 
The Hawk, foiled for this time, renews the chase and endeavours 
to soar above its quarry ; if it succeeds, it makes a second swoop, 
sometimes with deadly effect ; but if it fails a second time, the Lark 
