328 WOODLARK. 



the Skylark. The eggs are pale reddish white, 

 spotted and speckled with reddish brown. Dur- 

 ing winter, they are said to assemble in small 

 parties, the amount of the year's brood, and we 

 do not find it stated that they are migratory, or 

 perform any partial change of station. 



The Woodlark, so far as we ean learn, is by 

 no means a common bird, even in its most favou- 

 rite stations, and its distribution in Britain is 

 extremely local, confined in England chiefly to 

 the southern counties, and extending more spar- 

 ingly to Derbyshire, Yorkshire, and Lancashire, 

 in the northern counties becoming very rare, so 

 as to cause its appearance to be recorded, and 

 we have instances stated by Mr Selby and Mr 

 Heysham, of specimens being killed in Northum- 

 berland and Cumberland. In Scotland, it is 

 admitted by many writers, but without mention- 

 ing particulars. Dr Fleming gives the Gaelic 

 name, while Mr Heysham states that it is taken 

 occasionally y bird catchers in the neighbour- 

 hood of Dumfries.* We have not ourselves seen 

 a Scottish specimen, and cannot at present refer 

 to any authentic instance of its capture. In Ireland, 

 Mr Thompson has recorded it as partially distri- 

 buted. On the Continent, it is perhaps more 

 numerous, at the same time being local in its 

 stations. In the Paris markets, we have frequently 

 noticed specimens among the bunches of small 

 birds, and mixed with the Common Lark. We 



* Upon the authority of Mr Yarrell, Brit. Birds, i. p. 419. 



