110 FIELD-STUDIES OF RARER BIRDS 



favourite haunts there being some of the lower, 

 sparingly-wooded slopes of the Eppynt Hills, whilst 

 the Radnorshire side of Builth Wells is another 

 noted resort. It is, however, scarce in the 

 remainder of Wales, as also in the Isle of Erin. 



It is in the often-rasping days of February 

 that the Wood-Larks, first becoming mindful of 

 spring's advent, disband once again to seek their 

 former breeding-haunts. Before then, all through 

 the long autumn and winter, little parties are 

 formed often composed of the parents and young 

 of the last-reared brood which wander about all 

 round the country-side. Should the weather turn 

 really severe these small gatherings are apt to be 

 augmented by similar batches, a small flock some- 

 times being the result, though Wood-Larks are 

 never seen in anything like such large flocks as 

 Sky -Larks. Now and then, however, a few of 

 the former mingle with an " exaltation ' of the 

 latter. 



The winter-haunts of the Wood-Lark are essen- 

 tially the lowlands, as indeed are the majority 

 of its breeding-haunts, for all that many of these 

 resorts in Wales are close on 800 ft. above sea- 

 level, and a few r are above the 1000 ft. limit. 

 The bird is, however, not really a creature of the 

 uplands proper, seldom being seen in bare, tree- 

 less districts, and never (this, I should say, is a 

 safe " never ") on the barren solitudes of the moors. 

 Indeed, during winter many Welsh Wood-Larks 



