Bo OTtt o^ZMjiTHOLogr. 7^7 



The FiRsf Member or Subsection, 

 Offmall Birds with fender Birds. 



OF thefe there are many forts. All befides Swallows may conveniently enough 

 be divided into fuch as have the feathers of their Tails all of one colour, and 

 fuch as have a particoloured Tail. We will firft treat of Larks and Swallows 

 by themfelves, then we will reduce the reft to the now mentioned heads. 



Chap. L 

 Of Larks* 



\. i. 



Of Larks in general. 



A Lark, called by the Grecians Kopo<to*j©. from the word Kopvs, fignifying a Hel- 

 met, by the Latines alfo Cajfita and Galerita, from Cajfis, and Galea, or Gale- 

 rus of like fignification ( which names do yet properly agree to the crefted 

 Lark ) is diftinguiihed from other forts of Birds, I. By its long Heel or Claw of the 

 back-toe 5 which is the chara&eriftic mark of this bird: 2. By the teftaceousor 

 earthy colour of its feathers : Which note is not common to all the Birds we compre- 

 hend under this title, nor proper to this kind, fith it agrees to Sparrows, and other 

 Birds : 3. By its finging as it fliesmounting up in the air. We have in England ob- 

 lerved four forts of Larks : 1 . The moft common one : 2 . The Wood-Lark : 3 . The 

 lefler crefted Lark : 4. The Tit-Lark. 



§. 11. 



The common Skje-Lark. Alauda vulgaris. 



IT is not much bigger than a Houfe-Sparrow 9 yet longer bodied , of an ounce and 

 half weight: from the tip of the Bill to the Claws or Tail-end, (for they are 

 equally extended ) fix inches and a quarter. The ends of the great feathers in the 

 Wings ftretchedout were ten inches and a quarter diftant. The Bill, measuring from 

 the tip to the angles of the Mouth, was three quarters of an inch long: The upper 

 Mandible black or horn-coloured, the lower commonly whitifh. The Tongue 

 broad, cloven, hard; The Nofthrils round. It fometimes ruffles up the feathers of 

 its head, almoft in fafhion of a Creft. A cinereous Ring or Crown compaffes the hind 

 part of the Head from Eye to Eye, but more fordid, and left confpicuous than in the 

 Wood-Lark^ The Head is of a teftaceous or reddilh aih-colour, the middle parts of 

 the feathers being black. The Back is of the fame colour with the Head : The Chin 

 whitifti : The Throat yellow, with brown fpots : The fides of a reddilh yellow. Each 

 Wing hath eighteen quil-feathers. Of thefe all betwixt the fixth and feventeenth have 

 blunt, indented, white tips. The edges of the four or five outmoft are white, ofthofe 

 next the body cinereous, of the reft reddifh. 



The Tail is three inches long, confifting of twelve feathers, of which the outmoft 

 on each fide hath both its upper half, and alfo the exteriour Vane of the lower white: 

 The next to this hath only its outer Web white, the inner being black : The three 

 following on each fide are black. The two middlemoft are (harp-pointed $ of 

 which that that lies undermoft when the Tail is {hut hath afh-coloured edges : That 

 whkn covers it lying uppermoft, towards the tip is cinereous, toward the bottom 

 blackifh. The Feet and Legs are dusky : The Claws black, with white tips. The 

 outer toe grows to the middle below as in other fmall birds. 



The Liver is divided into two Lobes, the left much lefs than the right, that there 

 may be room for the Gizzard, which in this bird isfleftiy, and great for the bignefs of 

 the bird. The Qefhis very fweet and delicate. In mild Winters it feeds wondrous 



Dd 2 fat: 



