PICRCHING-BIHDS. 129 



species with brightly coloured under parts bearing a strange superficial 

 resemblance to certain American species of " Meadow-Lark " {Sturnella) 

 belonging to the family Icteridce (p. 132). The Common Cuckoo fre- 

 quently places her egg in the nests of "Wagtails and Pipits, the Titlark 

 or Meadow-Pipit (A. pratensis) (2376) being a favourite host. 



Family XXXT. ALAUDiDiE. Larks. 



Of the hundred or more species recognised, the majority are inhab- [Case 78.] 

 itants of the Old World, but the Horned or Shore-Larks {Otocorys) 

 (2394-6) are also found in America, where they range as far south as 

 Colombia in South America. Larks are almost entirely terrestrial in 

 their habits and generally frequent open grassy plains or desert districts, 

 but the species of Mirafra (2392) and Lullula prefer the vicinity of 

 bushes or copses, and frequently perch, while Otocorys, except during the 

 winter months, dwells on the high uplands. The habit of soaring while 

 uttering their song is common to the group, and with the exception of 

 a few species of Mirafra, all nest on the ground. The eggs are generally 

 white, closely spotted with brown and grey. As in the Wagtails and Pipits 

 the inner secondary quills are greatly developed and equal in length to 

 the primaries, but the Larks are distinguished from these and other 

 Passerine birds by having the hinder aspect of the metatarsus scutel- 

 lated or covered with scales. The Sky-Lark [Alauda arvensis) (2389), 

 and the Wood-Lark [Lullula arborea) (2399) are the only resident 

 species in the British Islands, but the European Horned Lark [Otocorys 

 alpestris) (2394) is a more or less regular winter visitor, and the Crested 

 (2388), Short-toed (2399), White-winged (2409), and Black (2400 a) 

 Larks are occasional stragglers to our shores. The Finch-Larks 

 [Pyrrhulauda] (2397-8) have short thick bills, and form a rather 

 distinct genus with the sexes differing in colour. 



Family XXXII. FHiNoiLLiDiE. Finches and Buntings. 



The Finches form one of the largest families of Song-birds and [Cases 

 number about six hundred species, which are nearly universally distri- ' ^^-J 



buted. As may be inferred from the structure of their short, stout, 

 conical bill, they live principally on seeds. In many species the summer- 

 dress is gained not by moult, but by the shedding of the edges of the 

 winter plumage, so that the underlying pattern comes into prominence. 

 The change thus effected is specially marked in the male of the Snow- 

 Bunting [Plectrophenax nivalis) (2473), the rufescent winter dress 

 becoming entirely black and white in summer. Three subfamilies are 

 recognised : the Grosbeaks [Coccothraustince) , the true Finches [Fringil- 

 lina), and the Buntings [Emberizince) , characterised in the typical forms 



