AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 167 



72. WOOD-LARK. 



Alauda arhorea. 



This bird is by no means common in our neighbour- 

 hood, or, indeed, in any part of Northamptonshire 

 with which I am acquainted, and although I have 

 met with it in the county, I could never make sure 

 of finding it at any particular spot, or any special 

 season of the year. I hold the song of the Wood- 

 Lark as second only to that of the Nightingale 

 amongst our British birds, and a very close second ; 

 indeed there is less variety of excellence in the 

 musical powers of the former than those of the 

 latter : we never heard a song of a wild Wood-Lark 

 that was not perfect melody, whilst we have listened 

 to many Nightingales whose strains were unworthy 

 of their name. The Wood-Lark in plumage much 

 resembles the Sky-Lark, but it is a smaller bird, 

 with a comparatively short tail, and may always be 

 distinguished by the light-coloured streak over the 

 eye; its habits also are very different from those of 

 the latter bird, as, with a few exceptions, it is found 

 in the neighbourhood of trees, and, as I have observed, 

 is very fond of small clearings in thick woods or 

 plantations ; but it is a species of which I have seen 

 very little in this country, and of whose habits I have 

 observed most in Central Spain. In England it 

 appears to be a partial and irregular migrant, leaving 

 its breeding-quarters in winter, to appear at that 

 season in districts where it is comparatively unknown 

 in summer, and vice versa, but this habit is not with- 

 out exceptions, as it seems that in some localities the 

 Wood-Lark is a permanent resident. This bird soars 

 and sings on the wing in the same manner as the 



