390 ALAUDA CORYDUS 



German ; Boom-Leeuwerik, Dutch ; Trcelcerke, Norw. ; Heddcerke, 

 Dan. ; TrddlarJca, Swed. ; Mehtaleivo, Finn. ; Youla, Liesnoi- 

 Javronok, Russ. 



ad. (England). Upper parts coloured as in A. arvensis but smaller, 

 the crest fuller, the [supercilium whiter and more pronounced, the outer 

 larger wing-coverts are deep brown, but white at the base and tip ; first 

 primary much longer; tail short, the outermost feather 'with a grey 

 terminal patch, the next two with a smaller white patch at the tip ; breast 

 more clearly striped than in A. arvensis ; beak dark brown above, pale 

 flesh coloured below ; legs pale flesh brown ; iris dark brown. Culmen 

 0'45, wing 3'9, tail 2'1, tarsus 0'8, hind-toe with claw 0'85 inch. The 

 female resembles the male, and the difference in the winter plumage is 

 merely that it is slightly more rufous on the upper parts. 



Hob. Europe, from central Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, 

 east to the Ural ; the Caucasus and Transcaspia ; in winter 

 to Palestine and N. Africa, and it also breeds in the Atlas 

 mountains. In Great Britain, as in most of its range, it is 

 partly resident and partly migratory. 



Frequents uncultivated ground, especially sandy localities and 

 heaths where trees are scattered about, and is not found in 

 woods. It is lively and sprightly in its habits, but more shy 

 than the Skylark. In summer it feeds chiefly on insects but 

 on seeds and leaves of plants at other seasons, and seeks its 

 food on the ground, running with ease and celerity, and roosts, 

 like the Skylark, on the ground, but perches more often on 

 trees. Its song is sweet and flute like, and uttered when it 

 has risen to some height in the air and is descending spirally, 

 or when ascending and floating in the air. The nest is placed 

 on the ground, usually well concealed, and is constructed of 

 grass-bents, and moss, lined with finer bents, hair, and wool, 

 and is more compact than that of A. awensis. The eggs 4 to 5 

 in number are white, sometimes with a greyish or reddish tinge, 

 finely spotted with reddish brown, olive-brown or dark nut- 

 brown, and measure about 0'82 by - 62. Two broods are usually 

 reared in the season. 



CORYDUS. 



558. CRESTED LARK. 

 CORYDUS CRISTATUS. 



Corydus cristatus (Linn.), Syst. Nat. i. p. 288 (1766) ; (Naum.) iv. 

 p. 134, Taf. 99, fig. 1 ; (Hewitson) i. p. 178, pi. xlv. 

 fig. 5 ; (Gould), B. of E. iii. pi. 165 ; id. B. of Gt. Brit. iii. 

 pi. 17 ; (Newton), i. p. 632 ; (Dresser), iv. p. 285, pis. 228, 229 ; 

 (David and Oust.), Ois. Chine, p. 317 ; (Sharpe), Cat. B. Br. Mus. 



