18 



CRESTED LARK. 



Alutula cristata, GOULD. 



THE Crested Lark is a European bird, an inhabitant of 

 Italy, Sicily, Crete, Switzerland, Turkey, Greece, Spain, Hun- 

 gary, France, Germany, Poland, Holland, Belgium, Siberia, 

 and Russia, the latter in the summer, and other countries of 

 this continent; as also in Asia Minor, and in Egypt and 

 other northern parts of Africa. 



In this country one was shot in the county of Sussex, and 

 another is said to have been killed near Taney, in Ireland; 

 but the description does not seem to me to correspond. 



It is a migratory species, moving from south to north in 

 the spring, and backwards again in the autumn. 



This bird is represented as approaching near to villages and 

 houses, and as being rather solitary than gregarious in its 

 habits. 



Its food consists of insects of various sorts, worms, and 

 grain. 



Its song is sweet and agreeable, and is continued till the 

 month of September. 



The nest is placed on the ground, and is made of grasses. 



The eggs are four or five in number, of a light grey colour, 

 spotted With light and dark brown. 



Male; length, six inches and three quarters; bill, rather 

 strong and large, and decurved towards the point, brown 

 along the ridge and at the end, and paler on the sides and 

 at the base; iris, dark brown: a buff white streak passes from 

 it over the eye. Head on the crown, reddish brown, with a 

 few of the feathers elongated, forming a crest, and pointing 

 backwards; neck on the back, and nape, dark brown, in front 

 pale yellowish brown; chin, white; throat and breast, pale 

 yellow brown, streaked in front and on the sides with darker 



