AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 165 



portion of our home-bred birds leave us in the autumn, 

 and our shores are annually visited at that season by 

 flocks of foreigners, whose stay depends on the weather. 

 In our own district I have often noticed streams of 

 Sky-Larks passing over at a moderate height, and in 

 almost complete silence, towards the end of October ; 

 these birds seem seldom to alight, and I have generally 

 observed that their appearance in this manner is an 

 infallible sign of the approach of severe weather. 

 Vast numbers of this species are caught by dragging 

 the stubble at night with nets and in many other 

 ways, and many are also shot by the aid of Lark- 

 glasses, the glittering of pieces of looking-glass in 

 the sun seeming to possess a fatal fascination for 

 these birds whilst migrating, though I have in vain 

 tried to attract our resident birds in that manner. 

 These birds are most excellent food when fat, and 

 meet with a ready sale in all parts of Europe. 



In all parts of the Mediterranean shores, especially 

 in Italy and Sicily, the autumnal migration of the 

 Sky-Lark is looked forward to with immense anxiety, 

 and tens of thousands are annually shot and caught 

 in those countries. We happened, in the beginning 

 of November 1856, to be sailing from Cagliari to Pa- 

 lermo, against fresh southerly breezes, and during the 

 voyage, which occupied the best part of three days, 

 we were constantly surrounded by myriads of tired 

 Sky-Larks, many of which came on board. On our 

 arrival at our port we found the greater part of the 

 male population up in arms, not, as usual, against 

 the government, but for the slaughter of these poor 

 birds, which were dropping about, worn out by their 

 journey, not only along the sea-beach, but on the 

 quays, wharv^es, public gardens, and even in the streets 



