390 BRITISH BIRDS. 



TRUE OSCINES {OR SINGING -BIRDS). 



The ALAUDiDiE or Laeks. 



The Larks have their bill in the form of an elongated cone, 

 the upper mandible slightly curved, no notch ; the oval nostrils 

 at the base of the bill partly covered with feathers, and the 

 head-crest capable of being erected. The hind-claw is also 

 extremely long and nearly straight. The commonest English 

 species are the Skylark {Alavda arvensis) and the Woodlark 

 {A. arhorea). The Larks mainly feed upon grain, but also 

 take insects for their young. They frequent open fields, where 

 they form their nests on the ground. During very cold 

 weather, when they unite in flocks, they sometimes commit 

 great havoc in gardens, eating the leaves of winter vegetables. 

 They are augmented by vast arrivals from the north, and from 

 the Continent in autumn. Larks dust themselves to get rid 

 of the numerous lice parasites, a habit common to many 

 Passeres. 



Crows, Eooks, &c. (Corvid*). 



The Jackdaw (Oorvus monedula), the Carrion Crow (G. corone), 

 the Hooded Crow (0. comix), the Eaven (C. corax), the Eook 

 (G. frugilegus), the Magpie (Pica caudata), and the Jay (Gar- 

 mlus glandarius) are members of the Gorvidce. The jackdaw, 

 crow, rook, raven, and hooded crow belong to the genus Gorvits, 

 which is characterised by the following points : beak hard, 

 stout, straight at base, and sharp at edges ; the wings long ; 

 nostrils hidden by stiff feathers. The magpie belongs to the 

 genus Pica, in which the beak is slightly notched at the tip of 

 the upper mandible, and the wings are short and rounded. 

 The jay belongs to the genus Garndv^, in which the beak is 

 shorter than the head. 



The Carrion Grow (C cm-one) is black like the rook; the 

 beak is strong and bent at the end ; it has black feathers at the 



