632 BIRDS. 



SECTION XIII. 



Sky Lark, 

 Alauda arvensis. Linn. 



The length of this species is seven inches, one-fourth; the 

 breadth twelve and a-half j the tongue broad and cloven ; the bill 

 slender ; the under mandible dusky, the lower yellow ; above the 

 eyes is a yellow spot; the crown of the head a reddish brown, 

 spotted with deep black; the hind part of the head ash-colour; 

 chin white. It has the faculty of erecting the feathers of the head. 

 The feather on the back, and coverts of the wings, dusky, edged 

 with reddish brown, which is paler on the latter ; the quill-fea- 

 thers dusky ; the exterior web edged with white, that of the others 

 with reddish brown, the upper part of the breast yellow, spotted 

 with black ; the lower part of the body of a pale yellow ; the ex- 

 terior web, and half of the interior web, next to the shaft of the 

 first feather of the tail, are white ; of the second only the exterior 

 web ; the rest of those feathers dusky ; the others are dusky, edged 

 with red ; those in the middle deeply so, the rest very slightly ; 

 the legs dusky ; soles of the feet yellow ; the hind claw very long 

 and strait. 



This and the wood-lark are the only birds that sing as they fly ; 

 this raising its note as it soars, and lowering it till it quite dies 

 away as it descends. It will often soar to such a height, that we 

 are charmed with the music when we lose sight of the songster ; it 

 also begins its song before the earliest dawn. Milton, in his 

 Allegro, most beautifully expresses these circumstances; and 

 Bishop Newton observes, that the beautiful scene that Milton 

 exhibits of rural cheerfulness, at the same time gives us a fine 

 picture of the regularity of his life, and the innocency of his own 

 mind ; thus he describes himself as in a situation 



To hear the lark begin his flight, 

 And singing startle the dull night, 

 From his watch tower, in the skies, 

 'Till the dappled dawn doth rise. 



It continues its harmony several months, beginning early in the 

 spring, on pairing. In the winter they assemble in vast flocks, 



