THE MEADOW LARK. 325 



worms, the best plan is to keep it in a cage, and feed it on 

 the diet prescribed for the Nightingale. 



Breeding, and Diseases. This bird builds its nest in marshes 

 and damp meadows. The principal diseases to which it is 

 liable are atrophy and diarrhoea. 



Mode of Taking. The Meadow Lark may sometimes be 

 taken with other Larks in the night net, or by setting with 

 limed twigs the marshy places which it is observed to frequent. 

 In snowy weather the same result may be attained, by setting 

 limed twigs, baited with meal worms, on some spot cleared 

 from snow. 



Attractive Qualities. This is a very pretty Cage-bird. Its 

 song is full, clear, and melodious ; and, except that it is more 

 various, and is better executed, resembles that of the Titlark. 

 There are also passages in it which are like the warbling of 

 the Canary. 



ADDITIONAL. With us this bird is sometimes called the Tree 

 Pipit, or Short-heeled Field Lark ; it is frequently confounded 

 with the preceding species, which it very closelv resembles ; it is 

 of much less frequent occurrence in Britain, where, according to 

 MACGILLIVRAY, it does not remain during the winter, nor does 

 it " frequent the heaths and open grassy pastures, which are the 

 favourite places of abode of the Meadow Pipit in summer ; but 

 is found in the cultivated parts, in the vicinity of woods and 

 thickets. Its song, which is of the same lively character, but 

 mellower, more modulated, and longer continued, is given out 

 during the descent from an elevation of from twenty to thirty 

 yards, during which it nutters with expanded wings and tail. 

 Sometimes, also, it sings while perched on a tree, and more fre- 

 quently while descending from one to the ground. 



" The nest, which is placed among the grass in a wood, or near 

 its margin, is similar to that of the Meadow Pipit, being com- 

 posed of dry grass, lined with finer blades, and having the inte- 

 rior of hair. Mr. WEIR, of West Lothian, who seems to have 

 paid close attention to the habits of both species, writes, ' that 

 while the eggs of the Meadow Pipit are closely freckled some- 

 times with dark, and sometimes with light brown, those of the 

 Tree Pipit are blotched with deep crimson purple, and the 

 ground colour of them partakes of a tint of the same, but much 

 paler.' " 



