270 BRITISH BIRDS. 



upon before quitting the nest. In returning to the nest both birds usually 

 drop into the herbage some little distance from itj and run through the 

 grass the remainder of the distance. During the whole period of incuba- 

 tion the male bird is incessantly soaring upwards to warble his song, from 

 the first streak of morning till dusk. 



The Sky-Lark's song is usually hushed in the moulting-season ; and after 

 the young are safely reared the gregarious habits are assumed for the 

 winter, the flocks of birds being sometimes very large. The food of the 

 Sky-Lark in summer consists principally of insects, small grubs, and 

 worms ; but in winter seeds of various kinds, berries, and grain are almost 

 its only fare. Many of the seeds upon which it feeds are those of the most 

 troublesome weeds ; and there can be no doubt that the bird is of great 

 service to the agriculturist. In autumn a favourite haunt of the Sky-Lark 

 is on the stubbles which have been sown with clover — " seeds," as they are 

 technically called by the farmer. As the observer wanders over such a 

 locality the birds will repeatedly rise at his feet, and uttering their liquid 

 note, join into a straggling flock, and after wheeling about for some time 

 again alight. They do not all rise together like Starlings, but one or two 

 at a time, and invariably alight in the same manner. When once the Sky- 

 Lark has taken up its quarters in a field of this description in autumn, it 

 rarely quits it until the following spring, except in the event of a severe 

 fall of snow. Even then the birds return to their old quarters at the first 

 signs of a thaw, when the plants on whose seeds they feed are again ex- 

 posed. In winter Sky-Larks are often very irregular in their movements, 

 which are to a great extent affected by snow-storms. When once a district 

 is covered with snow the Sky-Larks usually leave it and retire to other 

 places where the ground is still bare. They never appear to wander further 

 than they are absolutely compelled, and invariably settle on the first bare 

 ground that is suitable to them. In this manner the birds often foretell a 

 coming storm, as they are driven before it to more congenial haunts. The 

 Sky-Lark seems very much attached to its winter haunts, and no matter 

 how much it is disturbed will seldom quit them except when compelled 

 by hard weather. As they roost upon the ground great numbers are 

 netted at night, their flesh being prized as a table delicacy. Other seed- 

 eating birds often congregate with Sky-Larks in winter, such as Buntings, 

 Linnets, and Redpoles ; but the present species is the only Lark which con- 

 gregates in such enormous numbers ; it is by far the most gregarious of 

 its kind. 



As might naturally be expected, the migrations of this bird can be admir- 

 ably studied on Heligoland. During the migration period of the Sky- 

 Lark, as many as 15,000 have been caught on this island in a single night ; 

 and this must of necessity be but a trifling percentage of the number which 

 passed. When in Heligoland in 1876,1 shot on the 11th of October three 



