162 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



longer whitish tips, longer first primary, much finer bill, outer 

 tail-feathers not entirely white. 



FIELD -CHARACTERS. Short tail, buffish- white eye-stripes meeting 

 at nape, and pinkish-brown, not yellowish-brown, legs at once 

 distinguish Wood-Lark from Sky-Lark at close quarters. Some- 

 times sings on ground or top of tree or bush but more usually in the 

 air, and often at as great a height as Sky-Lark, but whereas song 

 of that species seldom lasts more than five minutes, Wood-Lark's 

 may be maintained without cessation for an hour as the bird swings 

 to and fro in wide half-circles above its nesting-place. The ascent 

 is made, not perpendicularly like Sky-Lark's, but in a spiral curve, 

 short tail being especially noticeable in soaring bird. Song, 

 sweeter but less varied than Sky-Lark's, is not so monotonous 

 as often stated. Comprises series of short phrases, each being 

 repetition of one note, now tinkling song-note of Pipit, then one 

 resembling " dee-ur " of Wood- Wren, and again, and perhaps 

 most frequently, a flute-like " lu-lu." After young are fledged 

 birds keep together in family parties, and at times combine in 

 larger flocks. Call-note, a melodious " tloo-ee-et," often attracts 

 attention to these little parties as birds run on turf : it is also 

 uttered on wing. 



BREEDING-HABITS. Nests on or close to ground in depression, 

 sheltered by bracken, grass or heath, in open sandy country or 

 on hillsides with plenty of cover. Nest. Neatly constructed of 

 bents with moss in foundation, and finer grass, horsehair, etc., in 

 lining. Eggs. 4-5, very rarely 6, with greyish-white ground, closely 

 freckled with fine reddish-brown or olive-brown spots, and violet- 

 grey shell-marks, in some cases with well-defined zone at big end. 

 Average of 100 eggs, 21.1 x 15.6 mm. Breeding-season. Begins 

 end March and early April and lasts till June. Incubation. Lasts 

 14-15 days, apparently by hen only. Young leave nest before 

 they can fly. Two broods as a rule. 



FOOD. Chiefly insects, especially coleoptera and their larvae, small 

 orthoptera, diptera, etc., but also seeds of grasses and other plants. 

 Young fed on diptera and caterpillars. 



DISTRIBUTION. England and Wales. Resident. Locally distri- 

 buted, most frequent southern counties, especially Devon, local 

 lower Severn and Thames valleys, from Bucks, to west Norfolk and 

 Suffolk, in southern Midlands and south W T ales ; northwards very 

 scarce, but breeds rarely parts of Yorks., and probably parts of 

 north Wales ; breeding has been recorded from Lines., Lanes, and 

 Cumberland, and vagrants from Northumberland and Durham. 

 Has undoubtedly decreased, and is not now found in places where 

 formerly known. Scotland. Rare but regular autumn-winter 

 visitor to Fair Isle, arriving from end Sept. to beginning Nov. 

 sometimes staying winter and even as late as April 2. Elsewhere 



