BRITISH BIRDS. 



195 



THE LARK. 



SKY LARK, OR LAVROCK. 



(Alauda Arirtisis, Linn. ^lloucttc dcs champs, 

 Temm.) 



LENGTH nearly seven inches. Bill dusky, under 

 mandible somewhat yellow ; eyes hazel ; over each 

 eye a pale streak, which extends to the bill, and 

 round the eye on the under side ; on the upper 

 parts of the body the feathers are of a reddish 

 brown colour, dark in the middle, with pale edges: 

 the fore part of the neck is reddish white, spotted 

 with brown; breast, belly, and thighs white; the 

 quills brown with pale edges; tail the same, and 

 somewhat forked, the two middle feathers darkest, 

 the outermost white on the outer edge; the legs 

 dusky. In some of our specimens the feathers on 

 the top of the head were long, and formed a sort 

 of crest behind. The Lesser Crested Lark of 

 Pennant and Latham is perhaps only a variety 

 of this bird. 



