ALAUDID^. 99 



sea-coast near the mouth of the Yealm, and ten were seen in a flock there July 23rd, 

 1874; al«o at Bovisand, near Plymouth, where a pair have nested in the same spot 

 for forty years, up to April 1883 (J. Gr.) ; and at Mount Edgcumbe and the Rame Head. 



Formerly Ravens used to breed at Tavy Cleave and on the Dewerstone (E. M.). A 

 pair breed on the Muswell Rocks on the Tamar. Mr. Gatcombe speaks of young 

 Ravens being obtained on Dartmoor in April 1880 (Zool. 1880, p. 251) ; and Mr. 

 A. Radford informed us in 1883 that a pair were breeding on a tor near Lydford. 

 Mr. Romney Greene obtained a young bird from rocks near Hey Tor in April 1890. A 

 pair breed in an old quarry near Okehampton (A. Mitchell). 



Some pairs breed at or near the Start Lighthouse and also neai' the Bolt Tail 

 (R. P. N., MS. Notes), and Mr. E. A. S. Elliot says he scarcely ever misses seeing a 

 pair or more at any period of the year in walking around the cliffs of the Kingsbridge 

 district. 



A pair have built in the cliffs at Watcomhe, near Torquay, from time immemorial 

 (Von H., Zool. 1869, p. 1846). 



In the eastern part of Devon Ravens breed at Rousdon, near Axmouth (Zool. 1883, 

 p. 35) ; and at Peak Hill, near Sidmouth. 



In the north of the county Mr. Gatcombe found them plentiful near Ilfracombe in 

 October 1875 (Zool. 1875, p. 4717), and a pair breed at Langleigh, near that place. 

 When fishing on the Torridge in April 1889, we encountered a pair of Ravens in a 

 wood some couple of miles above Torrington, and found them at the same spot as we 

 returned late in the afternoon. Their angry gestures and notes, as we passed their tree, 

 made us feel pretty certain that they had young close at liand. Mr. O. V. Aplin 

 mentions that he had heard that Ravens were still found in some numbers ou Exmoor 

 in August 1886 (Zool. 1887, p. 71). We learn from Mr. H. A. Evans that Ravens still 

 nest on tlie cliffs at Portledge. 



Capt. Wade, of the shi]) ' Great Britain,' informed us that in November 1851, 

 when homeward bound fron\ Canada, in latitude 49° N., longitude 20° W., about 500 

 miles west of Ireland, he captured a Raven which came on board his vessel. It was 

 placed in a hen-coop and soon became very tame. 



Family ALAUDID^. 

 THE LARKS. 



Of the true Larks there are only two, both of them 

 general favourites on account of their delightful melody, 

 which are ordinarily met with in Devonshire, the Sky-Lark 

 and the Wood-Lark, and both of these are fairly numerous 

 throughout the county, the Wood-Lark being one of our 

 most characteristic birds. Of all our small English birds 

 the Sky-Lark is commonly taken as the representative ])ar 

 excellence of English country life, so much so, that we are 

 familiar with the pathetic tales of the value set upon this 

 homely songster when it has been carried far away into 

 the Australian bush, where its well-known notes have 

 conjured up loving recollections of the distant English 

 home. 



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