THE WOOD LARK 
During the breeding season, which continues from March 
to June, the male may constantly be seen about the trees, 
from which he starts to sing whilst soaring in the air or 
passing from one tree to another. Less frequently the song 
is uttered on the ground. The voice of the Wood Lark 
by some is considered to be even better than that of the 
Skylark, and if greater continuance and richness of tone 
are taken as points in its favour their judgment cannot 
be questioned. ‘The usual call-note is a liquid double cry, 
very similar to that of the Skylark. It subsists upon much 
the same food. The nest is placed upon the ground, 
usually well concealed under a tuft of grass or a small 
bush, and is made externally of dry grass and moss, lined 
with finer grass and a little horsehair. ‘The four or five 
eggs are white tinged with buff or olive in ground colour, 
spotted and freckled with reddish brown and grey. After 
the breeding season the male, like his mate, becomes 
more terrestrial, and the broods often keep together 
during the winter. Odd Wood Larks may sometimes be 
met with in flocks of Skylarks. 
The adult Wood Lark is brown above, the feathers with 
dark centres, except on the rump and upper tail-coverts ; 
the wing-coverts are tipped with white, and the pale buff 
eye-stripe is conspicuous ; the tail-feathers are brownish 
black, marked with white at the end, the outer ones paler, 
with a darker mark on the inner web. ‘The under parts 
are white, suffused with buff on the breast and abdomen 
and with brown on the flanks ; the throat, neck, breast, and 
flanks are spotted with blackish brown. Bill dark brown, 
paler below; tarsi and toes pale brown; irides brown. 
Length 54 inches. ‘The nestling is spotted above with 
black and buff, and the nearly yellow under surface is 
more profusely marked than in the adult. 
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