CANARIES AND CAGE-BIRDS. 



and is made up of a variety of sweet notes uttered in quick succession, to which he 

 keeps time by the vibrations of his wings. 



The Lark's nest is built on the ground, hidden in a mass of flowers or thick 

 grass ; and he always approaches it stealthily, an act in strong contrast to his bold 

 flight. The eggs are four or five in number, of a grayish color speckled with brown. 

 The mother of a brood of young is not easily frightened away, and ma}' be caught 

 by the hand before she is forced from the nest. 



The Skylark does not perch in trees, but rests on the bare ground. The peculiar 

 shape and length of the claws was a matter of inquiry among naturalists, as he does 

 not use them for scratching. The nest is liable to be injured, placed, as it is, in the 

 grass ; and the parent birds use their claws to move the eggs to a place of safety. 

 The length of the claws enables the bird to walk with much greater ease through 

 the grass, acting on the same principle as a snow-shoe on the foot of a man. 



The Skylark is probably the hardiest cage-bird known : true to his joyous nature, 

 he is happy in all sorts of weather, and contented with almost an}' kind of food. 

 The richest food which can be given him, and in which he delights, are insects of all 

 kinds : he will also feed on seeds and oats, of which he is very fond. His principal 

 food should be the same as for all soft-bill birds, Mocking-bird food and raw, 

 grated carrot ; and a variety of fresh vegetables should always be given him. He is 

 very fond of them ; and as they serve as a good change, and keep him in good song, 

 they should be freely given. Of all birds of passage, he is the earh'est to arrive, 

 and, owing to his varied bill of fare, can subsist on most any thing, even should the 

 coldest weather set in. 



From the foregoing it may be seen that the Skylark is a most desirable cage- 

 bird, easily cared for, naturally very tame, and one of the best and most delightful 

 of songsters. If taken from the nest, and placed in a room where other birds in 

 full song may be heard, he easily acquires their notes. It is asserted by one of the 

 best authorities, that a Skylark hung in a room with a Nightingale had learned 

 his song to perfection, and whistled it in addition to his own natural notes. The 

 young Larks when taken from the nest are easily reared, and make the best cage 

 Larks ; as they are very tame when reared by hand. When taken from the nest, the 

 young Larks should be fed on bread and milk mixed with a little poppy or maw 

 seed -. if ants' eggs can be procured, they would be preferable. 



The female Skylark is somewhat smaller than the male, and is distinguished from 

 him by larger and more numerous dark spots on the back and bi'east ; the ground- 

 color on her breast being much lighter than on the male bird. 



Skylarks may be easily bred in confinement, owing to their natural tameness. 

 They should be given a large room, with an abundance of sand. A quantity of dry 

 grass and hair should be given them, from which to construct a nest. With these 

 materials they will build, first scooping out a hollow in which they make the nest. 

 The. female lays twice a year four or five gray eggs spotted with brown : the period 

 of incubation is from fourteen to eighteen days, and the young birds are hatched 

 out about the first of May. At this period the parent birds should be given plenty 

 of meal-worms, insects, poppy-seed, and crushed oats, or crushed hemp and barley 

 groats, or bread-crumbs : these should be varied with the vegetable diet, such as 

 water-cress, lettuce, or cabbage, and lean meat chopped into fine pieces. The above 



