INTRODUCTION, 10g 
these are the not less familiar Blackbird, the Fieldfare, the 
Wheatear (Savicola wnanthe), our Robin (Erithacus rubecula), 
and, most distinguished of all, the ever-welcome Nightingale 
(Lrithacus luscinia). Not less weleome, because most melodious, 
even in the month of March, is the song of the Sky-lark (Alauda 
arvensis). It is one of a group of about seventy species which, 
with two exceptions, are all confined to the Eastern Hemi- 
sphere. One of the most familiar on the continent of Europe 
is the Crested Lark (Galerita cristata). 
Fig. 116. 



The Crested Lark (Galerita cristata). 
The renowned American Mocking-bird (Mimus polyglottus) is 
the type of another family, numbering forty-seven species. 
Certain Birds called ‘ Ant-thrushes” may, on account of 
this denomination, be here referred to, though they cannot be 
considered to resemble Thrushes at all. They are more properly 
called Pittas, and the Bengal Pitta (Pitta bengalensis) may be 
considered as a representative of about fifty species. All of 
them are confined to the Old World, the Malay Archipelago 
being their headquarters, whence they extend, in different 
directions, to Australia, Africa, and Northern China. They are 
