160 



A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Genus LULLULA Kaup.* 



Lullida Kaup, Skizz. Entw. und Natiirl. System, p. 92 (1829 — No species 

 named, but description that of L. arborea, which is also the type by sub- 

 sequent designation — Gray, 1855 — and by subsequent monotypy). 



Closely allied to Galerida but without pointed crest, tail 

 shorter, about three-fifths of wing, bill thinner. First primary- 

 obvious, about 15 mm. long. Sexes ahke. One species in several 

 closely allied forms in Europe, north-west Africa and west Asia 

 ( Transcaspia, Persia) . 



LULLULA ARBOREA 



64. Lullula arborea arborea (L.) — THE WOOD-LARK. 



Alauda arborea Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 166 (1758 — " Habitat 

 in Eiu^opa." Restricted typical locality : Sweden). 

 Alauda arborea Linnaeus, Yarrell, i, p. 625 ; Saunders, p. 251. 



Wood-Lark (Luliula a. arborea). 



Description. — Adult male and female. Winter. — Crown, mantle 

 and scapulars broadly streaked brown-black, feathers edged buf&sh- 

 to reddish-brown, feathers of hind-part of crown elongated (but 

 not narrow, see Plate 6) forming crest ; hind-neck bufBsh-white 

 narrowly streaked black-brown ; back and rump more or less 

 olivaceous-brown ; upper tail-coverts more buffish-brown ; lores 

 and broad superciliary stripe extending behind ear-coverts bulifish- 

 white ; sides of neck same but streaked black-brown ; ear-coverts 

 reddish-brown with darker tips ; chin and throat white tinged 

 yellowdsh-buff with small black-brown spots lengthening and 

 broadening into somewhat hea\y streaks on breast ; flanks pale 

 buffish-brown with few fine streaks ; belly, vent and under tail- 

 coverts buffish to yellowish-white ; axillaries smoke-grey ; tail 

 brown-black, central pair brown, outer pair with distal halves 

 pale brown, next (penultimate) pair with whitish tips and next 



* It is impossible to suppress the generic name Lullula. If Galerida is 

 separated generically, then Ltdhda must be too. Otherwise nearly all Larks 

 must be placed in the same genus. — E.H. 



