4 2o PERCHING BIRDS. 



and migrates earlier to the southward than that species. Its song is sweet and 

 flute-like, more melancholy than that of the skylark, and is generally uttered 

 from the top of some tree, or else when the bird is on the wing. It rises to some 

 height before commencing, then ascends, singing, higher and higher, throwing 

 itself from side to side, hovers and floats in the air, and when the song is ended 

 drops with closed wings to the ground again. It sings not only in the mornings and 

 evenings but also at other times of the day, and in the night, especially at night." 



The woodlark constantly builds upon the ground, usually in a tuft of grass, 

 or in a depression of the earth, sheltered by a low T bush. Built of stems of grass 

 and moss, and lined with hair and wool or fine bents, the nest is more compact 

 than that of the sk3'lark. The eggs are generally white in ground-colour, finely 

 freckled, and blotched with brown and purplish markings, which are often bold, and 

 sometimes arranged in a zone. The woodlark occasionally nests in confinement. 

 A very local bird in the British Isles, especially in the breeding-season, when it is 

 chiefly found in the southern and western counties, particularly Devonshire, the 

 woodlark is common in Southern Norway and Sweden, and extends eastwards 

 through Central Russia, ranging south to Spain, Morocco, and Egypt. The 

 plumage of the adult is brown above, each feather being striped with dark 

 brown and edged with rufous ; a broad, yellowish white stripe extends from 

 each eye to the nape, forming an irregular collar; the rump and upper tail- 

 coverts are greyish brown; and the tail is dark brown, with the central pair of 

 feathers much lighter than tin' others, while the outer pair are dirty white towards 

 the tip, and their outer webs bordered with white. 



The crested The crested larks, as typically represented by the European 



Larks. species (Gcderita cristata), are sufficiently distinguished from both 

 the foregoing genera by the presence on the head of a crest composed of a 

 few very long feathers springing from the centre of the crown. The common 

 species is a partial resident in Continental Europe, and a rare accidental visitor to 

 the shores of Great Britain. In the spring of the year it may be seen in the north 

 of Spain travelling in flocks apparently composed exclusively of its own kind, 

 which generally frequent the ploughed fields in preference to grass-lands. These 

 large flocks are relatively wild ; but on other occasions crested larks may be 

 observed running tamely on the turf bordering the highroad, elevating their 

 crests as they run along together. Mr. Dresser states that " in its habits the 

 crested lark is confiding and fearless, and in the neighbourhood of villages and 

 inhabited places is one of the most unsuspicious and tame birds. When in 

 Southern Germany and Hungary, where it is very common, I observed it on 

 almost all the highroads and in the streets of the small towns and villages 

 pecking about amongst the horse-droppings almost as tamely as a London sparrow. 

 They appear very fond of inhabited places, and frequent highroads, seldom being 

 found very far from these, and when disturbed by a passing vehicle will either 

 run on one side and let it pass, or fly on, again and again, as the traveller 

 approaches them. In different parts of Europe they are resident or migratory 

 according as the locality is suitable or not for winter quarters ; but in most parts 

 they are partial migrants, merely shifting their quarters according to season." In 

 Germany, Naumann writes, " they leave their northern haunts in the winter, which 



