320 THE TITLARK. 



having a small wedge-shaped white speck near the tip. The 

 under side of the wings is grey. 



The female is hardly distinguishable from the male, except 

 that the throat, neck, and breast, are not so bright a yellow, 

 but have rather a whitish tinge ; that the white spot on the 

 second tail feather is smaller, and the two stripes on the wings 

 whiter. The males of one year old, also, are not so yellow on 

 the lower part of the body. 



Habitat. The Titlark inhabits the whole of Europe, ex- 

 cept the extreme north, and frequently breeds in the moun- 

 tainous and forest districts of Germany. It chiefly frequents 

 the skirts of woods, or those parts which have been cleared of 

 trees, as well as the neighbouring gardens and meadows. In 

 August, it may be seen in small flocks in the cabbage fields, 

 )T on the house-tops ; and in September in the oat fields. On 

 this account, it is often caught about the beginning of October, 

 in the night nets used for the capture of the Skylark. It is a 

 bird of passage, returning about the end of March, when, if 

 the weather be at all cold, it may generally be seen in the 

 ploughed fields, and near warm springs. The Titlark has one 

 peculiarity, which is shared by very few birds ; namely, that 

 its call in the pairing season is entirely distinct from any note 

 which it utters at other times. It usually perches upon the 

 ground, and utters its cry of Giek, giek ! while at the pairing 

 time, or when it has young, and is near its nest, its call is a 

 mournful Tzip, tz-ip ! If this cry be heard from a bird perched 

 on a tree, it is a sure sign that the nest is not far off ; and the 

 bird will be found to have its bill full of insects, redoubling its 

 cries as the stranger approaches its nest. At this time, it sel- 

 dom or never utters the call Giek, giek ! 



In my collection, the Titlark is allowed to range the room 

 with the other birds ; but if any amateur should think it worthy 

 of a cage, its life will be lengthened by this means, and its 

 song improved. The cage should be an ordinary Lark's cage, 

 furnished with two perches, upon which the bird is fond of 

 placing itself. 



Food. In a wild state the Titlark feeds principally on flies, 

 grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, and small butterflies. In 

 the aviary it requires a varied diet, and besides the usual 

 paste, should occasionally have the Nightingale's paste, crushed 

 hemp seed, sweet -curds, or meal worms. The chief difficulty 



