THE WOOD-LARK. '79 



Caspian Seas ; its numbers being increased by accessions from the north in winter 

 at which season it also visits Northern Africa and Palestine, and in the latter it 

 is said to breed on the high ground." Howard Sauuders. 



In Great Britain the Wood-Lark is by no means a common bird, and is very 

 local in its distribution; occurring chiefly on undulating sandy or chalky soil 

 dotted about with small woods, copses, or plantations. It is most frequently to be 

 met with in suitable localities in the southern counties of England and Wales ; 

 but has, from time to time, occurred in most of the northern counties. In 

 Scotland it is very scarce, but has once been known to breed in Stirlingshire. 

 In Ireland it is principally confined to the east and south. 



In general colouring the Wood- Lark nearly resembles the Sky-Lark, but can 

 always be distinguished both when perching and on the wing by its short tail. 

 It is also smaller and has a more slender bill ; the bastard primary is much 

 longer ; the blackish centres to the feathers of the upper surface are wanting on 

 the rump and upper tail-coverts, the primary-coverts have white tips ; central tail- 

 feathers reddish-brown, with dusky centres, outermost feather brown, the outer web 

 dusky at the tip, the inner web with a broad black patch ; remaining feathers 

 blackish, with terminal triangular white spots ; a broad buffish-white superciliary 

 stripe extending backwards to the nape ; ear-coverts rufous, with darker upper 

 margin ; cheeks and throat whitish, becoming distinctly yellowish buff on the 

 breast and abdomen ; flanks brownish ; throat narrowly streaked with black ; breast 

 and flanks broadly streaked : bill dark brown above, paler below ; feet light horn 

 brown; iris hazel. The female differs as in the Sky-Lark. Young birds are more 

 rufous above, the feathers tipped with buff; below they are more yellow and much 

 more freely spotted with black than in adults. 



On account of the different character of the nostrils (in this species) which 

 are half exposed and overhung by an operculum', Dr. Sharpe and others have 

 separated it as a distinct genus Lullula, Kaup, doubtless suggested by the French 

 ' Lu-lu,' a name given as an indication of its flute-like notes. 



Col. L. H. I. Irby, in his " Ornithology of the Straits of Gibraltar," says 

 that "on the Andalucian side the Wood- Lark is sparingly and locally distributed 

 during the winter months up to as late as the 2ist of April, frequenting scrub 

 where not very thick, a favourite locality near Gibraltar being the Chaparales 

 (ground covered with brushwood) in the Cork-wood. Well known to the Spanish 

 bird-catchers, and highly valued as a cage-bird ; they assured me that the Wood- 

 Lark never remains to nest near Gibraltar, but they are known to breed near 

 Malaga." 



The Wood- Lark is only to be found in timbered country; not that it confines 



