4 GRAMINIVOH.*:. 



and not when they spread themselves over their pastures as 

 they do in the breeding season, the winter stragglers are 

 better seen than the summer ones. 



The general characters are : the bill short, strong, and 

 conical, the upper mandible advancing upon the line of the 

 forehead, and the under one having its lower outline a little 

 convex, so that the whole bill has great power for its size. 

 They have three toes before and one behind, the former free 

 for their whole length ; and thus the foot is adapted for 

 walking, for perching, or for grasping. The wings are of 

 mean length, and vary in the form of their terminations 

 according to the habits of the birds. The tails are generally 

 strong ; the whole plumage is firmer in its texture, and 

 (generally) more decided in its colours, than that of the insec- 

 tivorous birds, and the general expression is more energetic 

 and lively. In some respects they have a resemblance to the 

 omnivorous birds, and in others to the gallinaceous. They 

 pair for the whole year, perhaps for life ; and they flock in 

 the winter, different species mingling peacefully together on 

 the same pasture. The males are in general much richer in 

 the tints of their plumage than the females ; but those gay 

 tints are chiefly the livery of the nuptial season, and they 

 are often accompanied by peculiar feathers, which, as well as 

 the tints, disappear at other times, and the sexes more 

 resemble each other. 



We shall notice them in those families or groups to which 

 peculiar names have been given. 



LARKS (Alaudd). 



The sky-lark, which is the type of this tribe, being a very 

 general favourite, the name Lark has been applied, both 

 popularly and by authors, to birds which have none of the 

 true characters : the pipits, and some of the warblers have, 

 in this way, been called larks. There are only two British 



