WOOD LARK 211 



in their ranks, immense numbers being killed by dash- 

 ing against lighthouses. As many as fifteen thousand 

 are known to have been killed in this way in a single 

 night. 



Resembling the Skylark in general appearance, the 

 Wood Lark may be distinguished by its smaller size, 

 shorter tail, more pronounced crest, and the broad, 

 pale stripe over the eye. The song of this bird is 

 sweet and flute-like, and is uttered on the wing, the 

 bird hovering in the air and descending spirally with 

 half -closed wings. It does not mount like the Sky- 

 lark, however, nor is its song so powerful and spark- 

 ling. The Woodlark receives its name from its ability 

 to perch on trees, which the Skylark does not seem to 

 have. See Plate 14j Fig. 75. 



The Crested Lark is a fairly common species on the 

 continent of Europe, but is rarely found in England. 

 It is distinguished from the Skylark by the long 

 drooping crest depending from the back of the neck, 

 the abisence of white in the tail, and by its somewhat 

 larger form. See Plate 14, Fig. 76. 



The Homed Lark, or Shore Lark, breeds in the 

 Arctic regions of both Old and New Worlds. In win- 

 ter it is found as far south in this country as North 

 Carolina. The black feathers over the eye in this bird 

 are lengthened to form little tufts, or "horns," from 

 which it receives its name. The back is brown, 

 streaked with darker colour, and the sides are pinkish 

 brown, as well as the back of the neck and wing- and 

 tail-coverts, while the throat and a line over the eye 

 are yellow. This species is found in the vicinity of 

 the seashore, or in open country in the interior, but sel- 



