THE ANTIPODES LARK 



105 



An observer states that, when the harrier wheels romid, and 

 appears about to settle, the larks often gather together in 

 numbei's with a chirping sound, and move about restlessly, 

 sometimes with a short flight, watching the movements of the 

 enemy. Some larks rescued from the attacks of hawks have been 

 so completely prostrated by fear as to be quite incapable of 

 flight, and, on being tossed gently into the air, have fallen help- 

 lessly to the ground. 



Nest of Ground Lark 



A theory has been put forward maintaining that, when the 

 lark takes a dust bath, which it does fairly frequently, it is 

 attempting to rid itself of the persecution of some parasitic 

 vermin. It has a habit of keeping its insect prey in its beak for 

 a long time before it is devoured or carried off to the nest. 



White larks, which are exceptionally beautiful little creatures, 

 have been seen in Canterbury, generally in scattered companies. 



The Antipodes Lark. 



Antlius steindaclineri. 



Like the last, but the lower surface tinged with fulvous, and the 

 wing rather shorter. Length of the wing, 3.25 in.; of the tarsus, 1 in. 

 Antipodes Island. The crest of the sternum is much reduced and the 

 bird flies very badly. 



