WOOD LARK. 123 



rence in size so very decided. In every other respect the birds are 

 identical. 



I once found an adult bird of this species in a ploughed field in 

 a disabled state, and unable to fly. My attention was drawn to 

 the spot by the cries of the bird, as another lark probably its 

 mate of the previous summer hovered over it with something in 

 its bill. Waiting until it had swallowed the morsel thus brought 

 to it, I went into the field, and, after a fluttering resistance, took it 

 in my hand. To my surprise there was a large ball of clay, about 

 twice the size of a walnut, and worn quite circular in shape, 

 adhering to one of its feet. It had become so hardened that it 

 was not without difficulty I could get the mass removed. I was 

 hopeful the poor creature would then be able to fly; but besides 

 the strained limb, it must have been otherwise injured, as on 

 placing it again on the ground, it merely fluttered to a little 

 distance, where it remained sitting, probably in expectation of 

 another visit from its comrade. 



No bird, in any country, has been so often commemorated in 

 song and poetic story as the Skylark. From Shakespeare to the 

 " poet Close," its attributes have been lauded in strains, various in 

 quality, no doubt, but all tending to exalt the celebrated songster 

 into something ethereal. In France the subject is differently 

 treated; at Dieppe, for example, according to an official return, 

 it has been stated that during the winter of 1867-68, 1,255,500 

 larks were taken into the town, of which 983,700 were consumed 

 there, and 271,800 forwarded to other parts of France. The 

 total commercial value of these amounted to 56,497 francs! 



THE WOOD LAEK. 



A LAUD A ARBOREA. 

 Kiabhag-choille. 



THOUGH not mentioned as a Scottish species in any of the published 

 works on British birds, except in that of Yarrell, who gives Dum- 

 friesshire as a habitat, the Wood Lark appears from other records 

 to have been long well known in many parishes of the southern and 

 middle districts of Scotland. It is, of course, difficult to ascertain 

 exactly whether in every case these records are to be depended 

 on, but there can be no doubt, I think, of the authenticity of the 



