BIRDS. 



255 



being all distinguisliable from other little birds by the length of 

 their heel, are louder in their song than either of the former, l)ut 

 not so pleasing. Indeed the miisie of every bird in captivity 

 produces no very pleasing sensations ; it is but the mirth of a 



lenjrth of tlip tail. Feathers of a deep gray, with an edging of a lighter 

 tint, cover tlie head, and upper part of the neik and body. On each side of 

 the head is a band of rodili.-h gray interrupted by the eye. The lower parts 

 are of an obscure white, slightly tinted with reddish. The head is more 

 thiok, and the bill stronger, in the male than in the female, and it has more 

 hlack on the breast. Both have the tongue wide, and a little forked. 



Without being so eonimon :us the sky-lark, the crested-lark is pretty well 

 spread throughout Europe, from Russia to Greece. It seems very doubtful, 

 whether it is ever found in this country. It neither flies in flocks like the 

 common lark, nor rises so high ; and it continues in flight a longer time 

 without alighting. It is by no means wild, nor doeo it dread the appeiir- 

 ance of man, but commences to sing at his approach. The males sing in- 

 finitely better than the females, and their voice is very sweet and a-reeable. 

 During fine weather there is no cessation to their strains ; but they be- 

 come silent when t' e sky is o\'ercast, and rain descends ; they forget their 

 gaiety and their music until the re-appearance of a brilliant sun re-animates 

 their vivacity. They usually sing until the mouth of September. In cap. 

 tivity they also sing, and retain more readily the airs which are taught them 

 from the bird-organ, than almost any other bird. But they seldom survive 

 the loss of their liberty, and it requires much care and difficulty to preserve 

 them any time in cages. The female places her nest on the ground, like the 

 common species. She lays twice a year, about four or five eggs of a clear 

 ash-colour, thick set with brown and blackish spots. 



The IVnod-Lark has been confounded by ornithologists with the crested 

 lark, on account of the similar tuft with which its head is surmounted. It 

 is smaller than the crested-lark, and the tuft can hardly be considered as a 

 genuine one, being only a little greater elongation of the feathers of the 

 head than in the common lark. The male is more frequently observed to 

 elevate these than this female. This lark is found in Germany, France, Hol- 

 land, Siberia, Poland, and Italy. When these birds perch they sing agree- 

 ably. They are heard to warble in great numbers together, in the <-om- 

 mencement of spring; but when these assemblages disperse in amorous 

 couples, the male then displays all his vocal po«'ers, and produces very me- 

 lodious sounds, especially after sunset. Thus he soothes and charms his 

 mate, engaged in her maternal cares. From the time the young family 

 bursts the shell, the sire takes his share in their education ; but his songs 

 are over, for the love which created his melody is at an end. 



In many respects, both of habit and appearance, these birds differ from 

 the sky-lark. They perch as well in trees as on the ground ; but this they 

 do only on the largest branches, where they are able to secure their hold 

 with positively embracing the stems with their toes. The sky-lark forms its 

 nest amongst grass or corn; and the wood-l;u-k usually at the foot ot a 

 bush, near the bottom of a hedtre, or in lays where the grass is rank and 

 dry. The fabric is of loose texture, and constructed of withered herbs luiU 

 fibrous roots, with a few liorse hairs in the inside. 



K 2 



