THE LARKS. 89 



and occasional visitor, about half-a-dozen authentic records of 

 its capture being known in the southern half of England. 



Range outside the British Islands. An inhabitant chiefly of 

 Central and Southern Europe, but resident in Scandinavia and 

 Russia up to about 60 N. lat. It varies slightly in colour. 

 The range of the ordinary Crested Lark follows the distribution 

 given by us for the genus Galerita. 



Habits. More of a frequenter of towns and villages than the 

 Sky-Lark, and often to be seen dusting itself in the roads 

 in the villages of Central Europe. Otherwise its habits seem 

 to be very similar to those of the Sky-Lark. It does not soar 

 in the air when singing, like the latter bird, though Mr. See- 

 bohm says that he has seen it make short excursions into the 

 air like a Pipit. It does not collect in flocks in the autumn 

 to any extent. Its food is similar to that of other Larks, con- 

 sisting of seeds and grain in the autumn and winter, but chiefly 

 of insects in the spring and summer. 



Nest. Placed on the ground, like that of other Larks, in a 

 depression scratched out by the bird itself, or in a footprint ; 

 sometimes it is built in a wall of earth, or in the thatch of a 

 low shed. It is composed of rootlets and dry grass, and is 

 sometimes lined with a few hairs. 



Eggs. Four or five in number. Ground-colour light brown 

 or ashy-white, with purplish-grey underlying spots or blotches, 

 the overlying spots of brown being thickly distributed over the 

 egg, appearing more distinct where the ground-colour is lighter. 

 Axis, 0*9-1 *o inch; diam., o*65-o'7. 



THE WOOD-LARKS. GENUS LULLULA. 



Lullula^ Kaup., Natiirl. Syst, p. 92 (1829). 



Type, L. arborea (Linn.). 



The Wood-Lark, for there is only one species of the genus 

 Lullula^ agrees with the Crested Lark, and differs from the 

 Sky- Lark in having the first primary quill well developed ; but 

 it is distinguished from the Crested Lark by its much longer 

 hind claw and by the shape of the crest, which is very full and 

 rounded, not pointed, in shape. 



