THE SHORE LARK. 91 



or five eggs are usually laid, which are of a greyish-white, 

 with spots of palish-blue and brown. Mr. Audubon says 

 that when the young birds are hatched, or rather when 

 they are fledged, and before they are able to fly strongly, 

 they leave the nest and follow their parents on the ground, 

 separating when pursued, and each one endeavouring to 

 conceal itself in the mossy herbage that surrounds their 

 home. On these occasions the young birds make use of 

 their wings to help them in their progress, and succeed in 

 making themselves scarce with wonderful celerity. If pur- 

 sued for any length of time the old birds follow the in- 

 truder overhead, loudly protesting against and lamenting 

 the proceedings. 



It has been already stated that the Shore Lark is said 

 to breed in Holland, but the favourite nesting-places of 

 this bird are to be found in the rocky sterile regions of the 

 North, particularly where broad barren tracts of rocky land 

 extend inland from the coast, and where moss, lichen, and 

 scanty growths of grass are the only signs of vegetation. 



The length is about seven inches; the bill is bluish, 

 and black at the tip. The iris is dark brown ; there is a 

 yellow streak over it, and the nostrils are protected with 

 a few bristly feathers. From the base of the bill a streak 

 of black passes to the eye and spreads out behind it. The 

 forehead is yellow, changing after the autumnal moult to 

 a greenish-ash colour ; on the front of the crown there is 

 a broad black band, ending on each side with a few long 

 pointed feathers which the bird raises and depresses at 

 pleasure; the back of the head black; crown, greyish- 

 brown. Back of neck greyish-brown, tinged with red; 

 chin, throat, and sides of neck a beautiful pale yellow, 

 white in summer; breast a pale yellow, with a collar of 



