96 BRITISH BIRDS. 



of crown forming a short semi-erectile crest ; outer tail- 

 feather each side mainly white, next one margined ex- 

 teriorly with white; below warm huffish -white, boldly spotted 

 on throat and sides of breast with dark brown ; bill dark 

 brown, yellowish at lower base; iris hazel; tarsi pale brown. 

 Length about 7*00. Female : similar but a trifle smaller, and 

 with a very slight crest. Young have a pronounced buff tint. 

 Common everywhere ; usually frequenting cultivated 

 land ; in winter gregarious. Nest : on ground, among 

 grass, clover, wheat, etc. ; composed of grass, lined 

 sometimes with horsehair. Eggs : 3 to 5 ; greyish-white, 

 closely spotted and mottled with warm olive brown ; size 

 '95 by '65. The glad song, uttered while soaring upward 

 is well known ; it may be heard at nearly all seasons. 



125. Alauda arborea, Linn. WOOD-LARK. 



Hab. Europe, south of lat. 60 N., but rather local. 

 In winter partially migratory. 



May be distinguished from Sky-Lark, even in the field, 

 by smaller size and much shorter tail and wings, former 

 also showing less white on outer feathers, but having 

 nearly all tipped with white ; under parts are yellower, first 

 or " bastard " primary larger, bill noticeably weaker and 

 stripe over eye broader and longer, running from in front 

 of eye to nape. Length 6'oo ; female slightly smaller. 



Locally distributed over most parts of England and 

 Wales ; breeds casually in South Scotland, but in Ireland 

 is even more rare than formerly, except in winter, and 

 only breeds exceptionally in the south. ... Nest : on ground, 

 in a grass-tuft or at foot of a bush ; more substantial than 

 Sky-Lark's. Eggs : yellowish or greenish-white, rather 

 sparingly marked with small spots of reddish-brown and 

 lilac-grey ; size '85 by "65. Sweet and liquid, but simple 

 song is uttered both on the wing and while perched. 



