PASSERINE BIRDS. 195 



Rocky passes seem to afford it the localities it prefers when about to breed ; the nest, which is formed 

 of moss and grass, lined with down and feathers, is placed in a cleft of rock, or under a large stone, 

 the entrance to this secret retreat being made of the very smallest proportions consistent with the 

 possibility of the parent birds slipping in and out of the nest. The brood consists of from five to six 

 eggs, so extremely various in their colour and markings as to render any attempt at description useless. 

 The young are fed almost exclusively with insects, upon which their parents also subsist in the 

 breeding season, seeds of various kinds affording them nourishment during the winter. 



The flocks of these beautiful creatures are remarkably numerous ; they pour in dense masses 

 over the country, and drop like snow-flakes upon such spots as seem to offer them the food of which 

 they are in search — indeed, so strong is the resemblance of these swarms to a snow-storm, when thus 

 seen congregated in large numbers, that the birds are popularly called " Snowflakes " in St Petersburg, 

 where they are met with in much greater multitudes than in other parts of Europe. Many tales are 

 told of these flocks settling down, during their migrations, on the decks of ships, in order to enjoy 

 a short repose ; upon such occasions, however, they rise again into the air almost immediately, and 

 continue their long and weary journey, even should they have to encounter the full violence of a 

 contrary wind. 



In its demeanour this species bears quite as close a resemblance to the Lark as to its more 

 immediate relations. Its movements upon the ground are easy, its flight rapid and extremely light, 

 the bird rising high into the air when about to fly to a distance, but keeping near the ground during 

 its ordinary daily excursions. Naumann tells us that the evolutions of a flock of Snow Buntings 

 are extremely curious, the whole party appearing to revolve around each other whilst on the wing, 

 much after the fashion of waltzers in a ball-room — indeed, under every circumstance of their active 

 lives they never lose their restless and unwearying activity, which even great cold or want of food 

 seems unable to abate or restrain. The fields afford them sustenance during the winter, and over 

 these they hover, scarcely ceasing from their flight even when occupied in obtaining food ; but should 

 the supply from this source prove insufficient for the wants of the party, they are, as a last resource, 

 driven into towns and villages, in order to obtain from thence provisions not to be found elsewhere. 

 Their song is not unlike that of the Lark, and their call a shrill piping note, generally uttered whilst 

 on the wing ; when singing, on the contrary, they prefer to perch upon a stone or bed of snow, as 

 near as possible to the mate for whose delectation their music is intended. 



THE LARKS. 



The Larks (Alauda) differ widely in their habits from the rest of the Passerine Order, inasmuch as 

 they reside so exclusively upon the ground, that we should feel very much surprised to see a Lark 

 perching in a tree, or disporting itself amongst the branches. 



All the various members of this family are stoutly built, with large heads, beaks of short or mode- 

 rate length, long and very broad wings, short tails, and rather flat feet, furnished with toes of- middle 

 size, armed in some species with a spur-like nail : the tail, which is by no means large, is composed of 

 twelve feathers evenly cut off at their extremity. The plumage is of a brownish shade, nearly alike in 

 the two sexes, but varying considerably as the birds increase in age. The internal structure of the body 

 differs in no essential particulars from that of other Passeres. The skeleton is powerful ; the bones 

 for the most part filled with air, and without marrow ; the singing apparatus is well developed ; the 

 lungs are large and the gizzard muscular ; there is no crop. These birds inhabit the open country, 

 whether cultivated or not, and are most numerously met with in temperate latitudes, some preferring 



