452 ALAUDIDA. 
for cage birds, and the sum obtained for them,—twelve or 
fifteen shillings being a common price for a good bird,— 
various means are practised to entrap them. Though 
living in pairs during summer, Sky Larks are gregarious 
in winter, assembling in vast flocks on the open country, 
where thousands are taken for the table by dragging a net 
over the stubbles, and other short cover, among which 
the poor birds shelter themselves. At this time they are 
in excellent condition, even during severe frost, the low 
temperature of the season probably checking cutaneous 
transpiration, and inducing a deposit of fat; but should 
a fall of snow cover the ground, their condition is altered 
for the worse in a few days. It appears from the follow- 
ing remarks of Mr. Woolnough, of MHollesley, on the 
coast of Suffolk, that these birds frequently migrate into 
this country from the Continent m autumn.* “TI have 
frequently seen them come flying off the sea; not in one 
year, but on several, and for many hours on the same day, 
from five and ten, to forty and fifty in a flock. This I 
once observed in November for three days in succession : 
our fields were then covered with Larks, to the great de- 
struction of the late sown wheat.” The Rev. Richard 
Lubbock, among other notices of the birds of Norfolk 
with which he has favoured me, says, ‘‘ I can entirely cor- 
roborate the migration of these birds to our coast in the 
autumn, as mentioned in the Linnean Transactions. On 
Eaistor Point, near Yarmouth, I have more than once 
witnessed the arrival of Larks from the sea, precisely as 
there described.” During severe weather in winter, large 
flocks of Larks are observed in some inland counties, and 
particularly in the southern counties, of England, flying to 
the westward. 
* Linn. Trans. vol. xy. p. 22. 
