1594 THE PERCHING BIRDS 



close to the woods, under weeds or grass, or in the old weed-covered furrows, and 

 retires early to rest. It is more affected by the cold weather than the skylark, and 

 migrates earlier to the southward than that species. Its song is sweet and flute-like, 

 more melancholy than that of the skylark, and is generally uttered from the top of 

 some tree, or else when the bird is on the wing. It rises to some height before com- 

 mencing, then ascends, singing, higher and higher, throwing itself from side to side, 

 hovers and floats in the air, and when the song is ended drops with closed wings to 

 the ground again. It sings not only in the morning and evening but also at other 

 times of the day, and in the night, especially at night." 



The woodlark constantly builds upon the ground, usually in a tuft of grass, or 

 in a depression of the earth, sheltered by a low bush. Built of stems of grass and 

 moss, and lined with hair and wool or fine bents, the nest is more compact than that 

 of the skylark. The eggs are generally white in ground color, finely freckled, and 

 blotched with brown and purplish markings, which are often bold, and sometimes 

 arranged in a zone. The woodlark occasionally nests in confinement. A very local 

 bird in the British Isles, especially in the breeding season, when it is chiefly found 

 in the southern and western counties, particularly Devonshire, the woodlark is 

 common in Southern Norway and Sweden, and extends eastward through Central 

 Russia, ranging south to Spain, Morocco, and Egypt. The plumage of the adult is 

 brown above, each feather being striped with dark brown and edged with rufous; a 

 broad, yellowish white stripe extends from each eye to the nape, forming an irregu- 

 lar collar; the rump and upper tail coverts are grayish brown; and the tail is dark 

 brown, with the central pair of feathers much lighter than the others, while the 

 outer pair are dirty white toward the tip, and their outer webs bordered with white. 

 The crested larks, as typically represented by the European species 

 The Crested {Q a i er i t a cristata) , are sufficiently distinguished from both the fore- 

 going genera by the presence on the head of a crest composed of a few 

 very long feathers springing from the centre of the crown. The common species 

 is a partial resident in continental Europe, and a rare accidental visitor to the 

 shores of Great Britain. In the spring of the year it may be seen in the north 

 of Spain, traveling in flocks apparently composed exclusively of its own kind, 

 which generally frequent the plowed fields in preference to grass lands. These 

 large flocks are relatively wild; but on other occasions crested larks may be 

 observed running tamely on the turf bordering the highroad, elevating their 

 crests as they run along together. Mr. Dresser states that ' ' in its habits the 

 crested lark is confiding and fearless, and in the neighborhood of villages and 

 inhabited places is one of the most unsuspicious and tame birds. When in 

 Southern Germany and Hungary, where it is very common, I observed it on 

 almost all the highroads, and in the streets of the small towns and villages 

 pecking about among the horse droppings almost as tamely as a London sparrow. 

 They appear very fond of inhabited places, and frequent highroads, seldom being 

 found very far from these, and when disturbed by a passing vehicle will either 

 run on one side and let it pass, or fly on, again and again, as the traveler 

 approaches them. In different parts of Europe they are resident or migratory 

 according as the locality is suitable or not for winter quarters: but in most parts 



