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The Wood Lark. Alavda Silveftris. 



fPiUM'^^^^ . ^""'- ^^"- 



'' J ^fTS Weight is one Ounce and five Drams; Length, from theTip of the Bill to the End of theTail, 



J_Oh' JL '5 '^^ Inches} Diftance between the Wings, when extended, is twelve Inches j it is leffcr and 



/ Ihorter bodied than the cotrimon Larkj the Bill is ftreight, (lender and fharp pointed, as are all 



■of the Lark Kind, above half an Inch long, fomewhat flat, of a dufky Colour; its Tongue broad 

 and cloven, the hides of its Eyes Hazel- coloured, its Noftrils round, its Feet of a pale Yellow, 

 inclining to Fiefh -Colour ; its Claws dusky, that of the back Toe longeft: the outmoft fore Toe 

 iJlicks to the Middle below, near the Divarication. 



I'hc Bveatt and Belly areof a pale ycllowifhHair Colour, faintly fpotted with black in the middle 

 Parts ofthe Feathersj the Back and Head are party-coloured of black and redifh yellow, the Middle 

 of each Feather being fpotted with black ; the Neck is afh-coloured, a white Line encompafling 

 the Head from Eye to Eye like a Crown, or Wreath j the Rump is of a yellowifhred, or 'tawny. 



Each Wing hath eighteen prime Feathers, the outermoft being much fhorter than the reft, the 

 next five are half an Inch longer, having their Points fharp, and their out Edges white: the reli 

 liave their Points blunt and indented in the Middle, with yellow Edges ; the Feathers of thcBaf- 

 tard Wing are dusk, with Clay- coloured Tips, and at its Root is a white Spot; the fmall Feathers 

 on the Ridge ofthe Wing are al"h-coloured ; the Tail is tv/o Inches long, confifting of twelve 

 Feathers, the middle ones fomething fhorter than the reft, and ending in fharp Points, being be- 

 tween a green and dusky Red or fulvous Colour j the four next on each Side had blunt Points, tipc 

 with white J the outermoft in Order more dusky, inclining to black. It had no Craw; in theSto- 

 inach were found Beetles, Caterpillars, Gromil-feed, &c. The Stomach was provided with ftrong 

 and thick Mufcles, the blind Gut very fhort : The Gut below thefe Appendants is larger. 



Itis diftinguiflaed from the common Lark, by fitting on Trees, and flying in Companies toge- 

 ther, fingingas they fly with a Note not much unlike the Blackbird ; it fingsefpecially in the Night, 

 ■when it is often taken for the Nightingale in Aday^ June and July. In warm Weather, and light 

 Kights, it will fing almoft all Night long, but chiefly whilft the Hens are fitting. It is compa- 

 rable to the Nightingale for finging, and by fome preferred before it : He will ftrive to excel him, 

 if hung in the lame Room, having a great Variety of Notes. It is a tender Bird, and yet breeds 

 the foonell of any in England^ the young Birds being ready to fly by the middle oi March : They 

 build in Lays where the Grafs is rank and dry, under fome Turf to fhelter them from the Weather. 

 The young Birds cannot be brought up from the Neft with all the Care that can be taken, they ei- 

 ther having the Cramp, or firlling into a Scouring and die. There are three Seafons of taking 

 Wood-Larks ; the firft is in June, July and Auguft^ then are taken the Branchers ; thefe fing pre- 

 fently, but continue not long, becaufe of their moulting, and are very fiimiliar Birds when taken 

 young; the next is \x\Septemhey^^\\\c\\ is the general Flight time, they then roving from one Coun- 

 try to another. The young Birds having now moulted all their Feathers, you can hardly diftinguifli 

 them from the old ones : Thefe Birds prove good, if they arc well kept all Winter, otherwife 

 they will be loufie and quire fpoiled. They begin to fing after Spring, and continue i'\\July. The 

 laft and beft Seafon, is in the Beginning of January^ and latter End of Ff ^r««rj, which is the Time 

 of Pairing thcmfelves, and parting with their laft Brood. Thefe Birds are commonly the beft provid- 

 ed they arc not wild and buckifli, for thofe Birds feldom prove good ; they fing in a few Days after 

 they are taken, and are more perfe6i: in their Song than thofe taken at other Seafons. They are fed after 

 the fame Manner as the Sky Lark, changing their Water three Times a Week, giving them a frefli 

 Turf of three Icav'd Grafs two or three Days in a Week in the Spring, putting red fine fifted Gra- 

 vel in the Bottom of the Cage, andfhiftingit twice a Week, otherwife it will be fubje<5t to clog 

 its Feet with the Dung. Let not its Meat be too ftale, dry or mouldy ; for your Birds fo fed will 

 never thrive. Feed him all the Time of his Song with fome Sheep's Heart mix'd with Egg, Bread 

 and Hempl'eed ; putting into his Water two or three Slices of Liquorice, and a little Sugar-Candy, 

 with a Blade or two of Saffron once a Week; this makes him longwinded,andIavifhin his Song. The 

 Cock is known from the Hen by the Largenefs and Length of his Call, by the tall walking about 

 the Cfige, and by doubling his Call as if going to rooft. 



I. Theii- Difeafes are the Cramp, the Remedy iskeeping them clean, taking Care iiot to hang them 

 out in the Rain, and lining their Perch with Bays. 2. Giddinefs of the Head, by too much feeding 

 on Hempfced, for which give them Meal-worms, or Ants and their Eggs. 3. Loufinefs and Scurf, 

 which is helped by fmoaking their Feathers with Tobacco, and giving themfrefh Sand, and fct- 

 ting them in the Sun to Bafk themlelves. The 



