THE SKYLARK tax 



again. A writer in the Magazine of Natural History maintains 

 that ' those acquainted with the song of the Skylark, can tell, 

 without looking at them, whether the birds be ascending or station- 

 ary in the air, or on their descent ; so different is the style of the 

 song in each case '. Mr. YarreU is of the same opinion, and I have 

 little doubt that they are correct, though I am not certain that I 

 have myself attained the skill of discriminating. In July, the 

 Lark ceases its soarings and song together, but in fine weather, in 

 October, it receives a new inspiration and is musical again. From 

 time to time, during winter, if the season be mild, it resumes 

 its aerial habits, but it neither ascends so high nor sings so long, 

 two or three minutes becoming now the limits of its performance. 

 Like most other birds, it sings least about noon and the first two 

 hours of the afternoon ; but it begins before sunrise, having been 

 heard at midsummer as early as two o'clock in the morning, and 

 it sometimes continues its song tiU late on into the night, having 

 been heard at ten o'clock when it was quite dark. Occasionally, 

 too, it sings on the ground ; and, in a cage, as all the world knows, 

 it pours out its melody with as much spirit, as if its six inches of 

 turf could be measured by acres, and the roof of its httle cage were 

 the vault of heaven. The following stanza in French is equally 

 successful in imitating the song of the Skylark and describing its 

 evolutions : 



La gentille Alouette avec son tirelire, 

 Tirelire, relire et tirelirant, tire 

 Vers la voute du ciel ; puis son vol en ce lieu 

 Vire, et semble nous dire : Adieu, adieu, adieu. 



The Lark buUds its nest in a hoUow in the ground, the rut of a 

 cart-wheel, the depression formed by a horse's hoof, or in a hole 

 which it scrapes out for itself. The nest is composed of dry grass, 

 and lined with finer fibres. It lays four or five eggs, and rears two 

 broods in the year. It displays great attachment to its young, 

 and has been known, when disturbed by mowers, to build a dome 

 over its nest, as a substitute for the natural shelter afforded by the 

 grass while standing, and to remove its young in its claws to another 

 place of concealment. In a cage, even the male is an excellent 

 nurse. Mr. Weir mentions one which brought up several broods 

 entrusted to its care, and a similiar instance has fallen under my 

 own notice. Larks frequently become the prey of the Hobby 

 and Merlin, which pounce on them as they are on the point of leaving 

 the ground, and bear them off with as much ease as they would a 

 feather. But if an intended victim discovers its oppressor in time, 

 it instantly begins to ascend with a rapidity which the other cannot 

 follow, carried on as it is by the impetus of its horizontal flight. 

 The Hawk, foiled for this time, renews the chase and endeavours 

 to soar above its quarry ; if it succeeds, it makes a second swoop, 

 sometimes with deadly effect ; but if it fails a second time, the Lark 



