174 



WARBLERS 



THE characteristics of this group are a conical beak, some- 

 times tending to cylindrical, sharp, generally weak, and the 

 upper mandible fixed. Insects are the food of the greater 

 number ; some also feed on berries and worms. The nests are 

 for the most part well made, and the male sits alternately with 

 the female. 



THE SKY-LARK. 



Alauda arvensis, LINNAEUS ; L'alouette, BUFFON ; Die Felderche, BECHSTEIN. 



THIS bird is very generally known. Its length is seven 

 inches, of which the tail contains three. The beak is weak, 

 straight, cylindrical, and terminating in a point ; the mandibles 

 are of an equal length, the lower one whitish, the upper black 

 horn colour ; the iris is grayish brown ; the feet of the same 

 coloui, but yellower in the spring ; the height of the shanks is 

 nearly an inch, and the hind claw is much longer than the hind 

 toe itself. 



The female is distinguished by its smaller size, by the 

 absence of the white line round the cheeks, by the great num- 

 ber of black spots on the back and breast, and by the purer 

 white of the breast. 



In the house we sometimes meet with the two following 

 varieties : 



1. The white lark, which is either clear white or yellowish 

 white. He is occasionally found wild. 



2. The black lark. The whole body of this variety is black 

 with a rusty tinge, and the belly feathers are edged with white. 

 I am ignorant whether this variety has ever been fou-nd wild ; 

 but it is not uncommon in dwelling houses, especially when the 

 rages are fixed in a dark place where the rays of the sun can- 

 not penetrate ; in moulting, their colour passes away to give 

 place to the primitive plumage, which never happens to the 

 white variety. 



