THE SKYLARK. QQ3 



Nests Habits Food. 



form and texture as that of the missel thrush, 

 and the female lays four or five eggs. The 

 young may be brought up in a cage, and ren- 

 dered domestic; but this, notwithstanding they 

 are fond of human society, is to be done only 

 with great difficulty, not one attempt in ten 

 being successful for that purpose. If the young- 

 be taken in the nest, the mo her will feed them 

 for a few days, but is sure to desert them after- 

 wards. If a rat happen to approach the nest, 

 the parent bird will fly at the head of the animal, 

 and with a hissing noise scare it away. 



It feeds its young with grasshoppers; and 

 when it wants any of these insects, it flies into 

 the pastures, flaps its wings near the ground, and 

 makes a booty of three or four at a time, with 

 which it returns to the nest. It also feeds on 

 different kind of berries, and is itself eaten by 

 the Americans, who esteem it a delicacy. 



THE SKYLARK. 



ALL the lark species are distinguishable from 

 other small birds by the length of their heels, 

 and are louder in their song, though not so pleas- 

 ing as either the starling or nightingale. The 

 skylark is distinguished from the others of the 

 same species by a crest which it is capable of 

 erecting or depressing at pleasure. The feathers 

 of the head, the back of the neck,, and the upper 



