CRESTED LARK. 



265 



forming a zone. Others somewhat closely resemble those of the Sky-Lark^ 

 and the markings are so thickly distributed as to conceal most of the pale 

 ground-colour. Some eggs are much yellower than others, and they differ 

 considerably in shape. They vary in length from I'O to -9 inch, and in 

 breadth from "71 to "6 inch. 



The food of the Crested Lark does not differ from that of its congeners. 

 In the spring and summer it is chiefly composed of insects and larvBe, and 

 in the autumn and winter of various small seeds and grain. The Crested 

 Lark is much prized as a songster, and is often kept in confinement. In 

 India, according to Jerdon, it is the practice to keep the poor little captive 

 in darkness by wrapping several layers of cloth round the cage, in which 

 state it not only sings very sweetly but learns to imitate various sounds. 



After the breeding-season the Crested Lark becomes to some extent a 

 social bird ; but it is never observed in such large flocks as those of the 

 Sky-Lark. 



The typical form of the Crested Lark in breeding-plumage has the 

 general colour of the upper parts greyish brown, with a tinge here and 

 there of buff, especially on the upper back and nape ; the dark centres of 

 the feathers are obscurely defined, except on the crest, and are entirely 

 absent from the rump and upper tail-coverts, which are very buff ; over the 

 eye is a buffish-white stripe ; the outermost tail-feather on each side is light 

 brown with the outer web buff, and the next is narrowly margined with 

 buff on the outside web. The general colour of the underparts is buflBsh 

 white, shading into rich buff on the flanks and thighs ; the sides of the 

 throat and the breast are spotted with dark brown, and the flanks are 

 sparingly streaked with the same colour. Bill brown, paler on the under 

 mandible ; legs, feet, and claws pale brown ; irides hazel. The female 

 resembles the male very closely in colour, but has a shorter crest. In 

 autumn plumage the pale margins of the feathers are much broader, and 

 partially conceal the dark centres, and the whole plumage is more suffused 

 with buff. Young in first plumage are much paler than adults and have 

 the feathers of the upper parts barred with blackish brown near the tip, 

 which is pale buff. The Crested Lark may always be distinguished by its 

 crest, by the well- developed first primary (which is nearly as long as the 

 primary-coverts), and by the absence of white on the two outer tail- 

 feathers. 



