eggs, four, five, or even as many as seven in number, are white in 

 ground colour, but often this is so thickly blotched and spotted 

 with brownish red as to be barely visible. 



Lark, Sky This species is resident in Britain throughout the 



year, save in the far north, where it is not to be found during winter. 

 It is however, to a certain degree migratory, as vast flocks reach our 

 shores from the Continent in the autumn months. These strangers 

 seem to be rather larger in size and slightly darker in colour than 

 our native birds. Contemporarily with the invasion of our shores by 

 these visitors, large swarms of our native birds have been seen pass- 

 ing over Heligoland, in a south easterly direction ; in fact at this 

 point two distinct flocks of this one species have been observed 

 passing each other, i.e. Sky-Larks, from probably the Baltic 

 provinces, passing westward to the shores of Britain, crossing on 

 their way Brit.sh Sky-Larks moving east, en route for warmer lands, 

 in which to spend the winter months, possibly the Mediterranean or 

 North African coasts, via: the Rhine Valley. The Sky-Lark 

 measures some seven inches in length, and is of a brown colour, the 

 feathers being streaked with black in the centre, and edged with 

 buff; on the head the feathers reach a short crest. The hind toe of 

 the Sky- Lark is probably its most distinctive feature, being of great 

 length. This species is believed to be increasing in numbers, and 

 if this be so, it is a matter for great rejoicing, as mu^ t be the thought 

 of everyone who has listened to its ecstatic song poured forth as the 

 bird soars up and up above the corn land or meadow, till it is almost 

 lost to sight. When one reads " Larks on Toast," <5n a modern 

 menu, one cannot but wonder at either the lack of thought, or else 

 the limited nature of the out-door life of the partakers thereof. The 

 food of the Sky- Lark consists of seeds of various kinds ; the young 

 are fed on insects. The nest is always placed upon the ground in 

 some slight depression, oft-times in the footprint of a cow or other 

 animal, and is not particularly well concealed. The eggs are three 

 or four in number, the ground colour of greenish white, but usually 

 almost entirely obscured by the dark brown spots and mottling with 

 which it is profusely covered. 



] 

 Sc< 



Scotland, where it breeds on both the sea and inland lochs, a 

 favourite situation being on a small island. The plumage of the 

 male is handseme, the general cplout of the upper part black, with 

 the under shoulder white, forming a line leading down each side of 

 the back ; the head is purplish black, with a crest of narrow feathers ; 

 there is a collar of white round the neck, with a stripe of black from 

 the nape to the shoulder ; a chestnut wash passes across the top of 

 the breast, the remainder of which, with the under parts, is white ; 

 the bill which is long and narrow is of a bright red, with a down 

 turned tip of black. The female is much duller in colour than the 

 male, giving the impression generally of a dull brown hue. The 

 Red-breasted Merganser feeds chiefly on fishes, and is an expert 

 diver, resembling in many of its ways the Cormorant. In winter it 

 may be found in small flocks, frequenting the sea lochs and coast line. 

 The nest is always well hidden, a favourite situation being on the 

 ground under the branches of a small tree, or bush, or in the heather 

 growing on the small rocky islands of the sea or inland lochs. The 

 nest consists of a hollow scraped in the ground, and is as usual 

 with the ducks, lined with the down from the breast of the 

 female. The eggs are from six to eleven in number, of an olive or 

 stone colour, and are unspotted. 



