414 BRITISH BIRDS. 



cillidK), the Flycatchers {Mmcica])idw), the Tits (Paridw), the 

 Swallows {Hirundinidii;), the Turduliv or Warblers {Sylviinm), 

 and the Thrushes ( Tiirdinre). 



All these Paissej-ifurwcv or Perching Birds have thin legs, and 

 the males are usually more brilliantly coloured than the females. 

 The young are nestlings, and are quite blind when hatched, 

 being fed by the parents. Both cock and hen take a share of 

 incubation. Their food and habits, as we shall see, are both 

 very varied. 



TRUE OSCINES {OH SINGING - BIRDS). 



The Alaudid^ or Larks. 



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

 the upper mandible slightly curved, with 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 {Alauda ari'ensis) and the Woodlark 

 {A. arborea). 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 parasit.es, a habit common to many 

 Passeres. 



Crows, Eooks, Sec. (CoRviDiE). 



The Jackdaw (Coi-pus monedida), the Carrion Crow (C. corone), 

 the Hooded Crow {C. comix), the Raven (C rorar), the Rook 

 (0. frugilegux), the Magpie {Pica caudata), and the Jay [Gar- 

 rulus ijJandarius), are members of the Corvidci'. The jackdaw, 



