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Genus ALAUDA. 



Alauda, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 287 (1766). 

 Lullula apud Kaup, Natiirl. Syst. p. 92 (1829). 

 Galerida apud C. L. Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. p. 316 (1831). 

 Galerita apud C. L. Brehm, Naumannia, 1855, p. 279. 



The true Larks inhabit the Pakearctic, Oriental, and Ethiopian Regions, two species being 

 resident in the Western Pakearctic Region. They inhabit open country and woodlands, espe- 

 cially non-evergreen groves, and in the autumn and winter collect together in large flocks and 

 range over the open country in search of food. One species, the Wood-Lark, differs in frequenting 

 groves during the breeding-season, perching on the trees; but the Sky-Lark affects fields and 

 meadows at all seasons, and but seldom perches on bushes or trees. They are good songsters, 

 uttering their sweet notes whilst circling in the air or when perched on some slightly elevated 

 place. They feed on seeds, berries, insects, and worms, and build a cup-shaped nest of grass- 

 straws lined with finer bents, hair, &c, and deposit several dull white eggs marked with purplish 

 grey and brown. 



Alauda arvensis, the type of the genus, has the bill moderately long, straight, somewhat 

 conical and compressed, the upper mandible without notch ; nostrils basal, oval, concealed by 

 bristly feathers directed forward ; crown with the feathers elongated, forming a crest ; wings 

 long, rather pointed, the first quill small, the next three nearly equal, the second or third 

 longest ; secondaries elongated ; tail moderate, slightly emarginate ; legs moderately long, tarsus 

 covered in front with six large and three inferior scutellse, and posteriorly also scutellate ; claws 

 rather short, curved, slightly blunt, except that of the hind toe, which is much elongated and 

 nearly straight. 



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