THE BLACK LARK. 

 Alauda yeltoniensis, Forster. 

 Plate 22. 



A small flock of this large-billed and very striking species visited the borders 

 of Sussex and Kent in January 1907, of which four were obtained, the last 

 being shot on i8th February of that year. Previous to their arrival the 

 weather had been very cold and stormy. The Black Lark lives among the 

 steppes of southern Russia, and east of the Caspian Sea as far as the Yenesei, 

 wandering occasionally in winter to Europe. 



The nest is loosely constructed and placed on the ground. It contains four 

 or five eggs, in colour white, mottled with umber-brown and grey. 



Its food consists of seeds, especially those of the salt-flavoured plants of the 

 steppes, and in time of snow, when pressed for nutriment, it frequents roads in 

 company with flocks of other species. 



Its song is said to resemble the Sky-Lark's, and like the Shore-Lark it 

 leads a wandering life in winter, but little is known of its habits. 



The female during summer has the upper-parts light buffish-brown, with darker 

 markings of brown, is rufous on the lower part of the back, while some of the 

 primaries and tail feathers are edged with white. In winter the general colour 

 is more bleached and hoary. 



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