THE WOOD LARK. 73 



seed, then chopped as fine as possible, and 

 mixed into a kind of paste with clean 

 water ; five or six small pieces, about the 

 size of a pea, will be sufficient to give 

 them at a time, as you must be careful 

 not to overload their stomachs : also take 

 care that their meat be fresh every day. 



Wood larks are taken at three different 

 seasons of the year, the first period is in 

 June and July for branchers, which are 

 caught with a net and hawk, in the same 

 manner as sky larks; at this time they 

 are generally to be found about gravel-pits, 

 upon heaths and commons, and in pasture 

 fields. 



The next season is Michaelmas, when 

 great numbers are taken with clap nets, and 

 are reckoned much better than those birds 

 which are caught at the other seasons; be- 

 cause, by being kept through the Winter, 

 they are rendered more tame, and will 

 sing much longer, very often eight or nine 

 months in the year. Wood larks at this 

 season usually fly very high, for which 

 reason the highest ground is generally 

 chosen to lay the nets upon, either in a 



