298 



H 



as to be quite invisible. [See the representation in Yarrell, 1st Supp.] I should probably be 

 right in attributing their presence to hard weather." The food of this bird consists of insects 

 and seeds, the latter forming its chief food during the autumn and winter seasons. It prefers 

 the various grass-seeds, oats, and wheat, not caring so much for barley ; but it is very fond of 

 Canary-seed. 



Whenever found near villages and towns, the Crested Lark places its nest in the immediate 

 vicinity of human habitations ; but in sparsely populated localities it frequently breeds in desolate 

 places. The nest is placed on the ground, in any suitable depression in the soil, more seldom 

 amongst the grass, though not unfrequently in a tussock near a roadside. In Germany, 

 Naumann writes, " one often finds the nest on ploughed land and in grain-fields, but never far 

 from gardens and buildings, seldom more than one hundred paces distant, but oftener nearer, or 

 in gardens where grain or potatoes are cultivated, or amongst vegetables, or in gardens where 

 few or no trees are planted, and which adjoin the open fields. Here they generally build on the 

 ground in any small depression or footprint of cattle, or behind a clod, but very seldom in the 

 grass. They sometimes build on old earth walls, or low straw roofs in the fields. Although 

 single pairs are throughout the year generally together, they are during the breeding-season, 

 when the one must be alone laying or incubating, almost inseparable. The male is always with 

 his mate, but does not assist in making the nest ; when the latter is seeking for the necessary 

 materials he runs beside her, and accompanies her when she flies back to the nest." The nest 

 is loosely and simply constructed of dried grass, straws, weeds, small roots, and is occasionally 

 lined with a few horsehairs. The usual number of eggs deposited varies from four to six, five or 

 four being the usual complement. In colour and makings they vary much, being sometimes as 

 light as those of the Wood-Lark, and occasionally a miniature of a dark Calandra's egg. So far 

 as my own experience goes, the eggs from Northern Europe are darker than those from the 

 south. In my collection are eggs from Spain, Germany, and Greece, which vary very con- 

 siderably. The ground-colour is greyish white, sometimes with a brown or greenish tinge, the 

 surface-markings dark brown, nut-brown, or dull umber, and the underlying shell-blotches 

 purplish grey or light nut-brown. In some the markings are but thinly scattered, and here and 

 there is a large blotch ; in others the spots are closely scattered all over the surface of the egg. 

 In size they vary from ff by f-{| to ff by -f^ inch. Dr. E. Rey gives the average size of a 

 hundred eggs he has in his collection (which were taken in Germany) as 22*7 by 16 - 8 millimetres, 

 the largest measuring 22 - by 18-3, and the smallest 19 - 5 by 15 - millimetres respectively. 

 Fresh eggs were found from the 12 th of April to the middle of June, and in one instance on the 

 18th of July. The full complement of eggs is generally four or five, seldom six. 



In confinement the Crested Lark thrives well, and is an excellent songster. I have often 

 seen it in cages in the German villages ; and Dr. Jerdon states that in India " it is frequently 

 caged in all parts of the country, and the bird is kept in darkness by several layers of cloth 

 wrapped round the cage, the custom being to wrap an additional cover round the cage every 

 year. In this state it sings very sweetly, and learns to imitate most exactly the notes of various 

 other birds, and of animals, such as the yelping of a dog, the mewing of a cat, the call of a hen 

 to her chickens, &c. &c." 



The specimen figured is a female obtained by Mr. Meves at Trelleborg, in Sweden ; and those 



