

LARKS. ^09 



necessary. This singular bird the most diminutive of our birds 

 except the Kinglets differs from the Tits in its softer and more 

 bulky plumage and tail. Its flight is undulating and rapid ; its 

 long tail and body muffled up to the chin in dense plumage giving 

 the observer the idea of an arrow flying through the air. 



The Tits abound throughout Europe, and are also found in 

 America ; some of them remaining all the year with us, although 

 they are all birds of passage. 



The LARKS (Alaudina) complete the Conirostral Passerine. 



Fig. 238.-The Crested Tit (Parus cristatut, Selbcrne). 



They are distinguished by the great muscularity of their gizzard, 

 and their elongated and slightly-curved claws, which are sometimes 

 longer than the toe itself, indicative of a ground-bird ; in short, 

 they pass their lives on the ground, in the bosom of great grassy 

 plains, or soaring in the air. This family renders eminent service 

 to agriculturists by the enormous quantity of worms, caterpillars, 

 and grasshoppers it daily devours. 



The Lark builds its nest in a furrow, or between two clods of 

 earth, without much skill it is true, but with sufficient intelli- 

 gence to know that it is necessary it should be concealed. Here 

 it lays four or five eggs, spotted or freckled ; in favourable seasons 

 three sets of eggs in the year are sometimes hatched. The 

 young birds break the shell after fifteen days' incubation, and 



M M 



