THE YOUXG NATURALIST. 



209 



jorum. 



Jyyc&na agextis. 

 ,, alexis. 



,, argiolus. 

 Hesperia sylvat ut 



Tiiecla W-album. I have myself taken 

 the larvae of this 

 insect off Wych Elm 

 in Repton Wood. 

 See Newman's British 

 Butterflies, page in 

 Common at Dovedale. 

 Common. 



Not rare at Dovedale. 

 Scarce. 



Not of recent occur- 

 rence. 



This concludes the list of this family of 

 Lepidoptera, for which however, the con- 

 ditions of this vicinity are not particularly 

 favourable. 



BRITISH BIRDS. 

 THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 



By S. L. Mosley. 



SKYLARK. 

 Alanda arvensis. Linn. 



Arvensis — Of the field. 



Size. — Length, 72 in. ; expanse, 14 in. 



Plumage. — Bill brownish horn-colour, 

 yellowish at base of lower mandible. Eyes 

 hazel. Feathers on top of head and back, 

 almost black in centre, grey at edges, those 

 on the top of the head being elongated and 

 capable of being erected into a crest. Wing 

 coverts and tertials brown, with broad pale 

 edges. The two middle feathers of the 

 tail the same colour. Rest of tail dark 

 brown, except two outer feathers, which are 

 white on outer and part of inner web. 

 Primaries dark with pale edges. Pale 

 streak over the eye. Under parts yellowish- 

 white with dark elongated spots on sides of 

 throat and breast. Legs light brown, the 

 hind claw very long. 



The Female is smaller, and the crest 

 not so long. 



Young Birds have the pale edges very 



I broad. 



Varieties. — In confinement this bird often 

 turns black, but Mr. Whitaker has a black 

 one shot in a wild state. Mr. Gurney has 

 a black one pied with white. Several pied 

 ones exist in various collections, and others 

 red brown or grey, and Mr. Gurney has a 

 slate-coloured one. Cream-coloured or 

 yellow varieties are also not unfrequent, and 

 I have seen a few pure white. 



Note. — The song of the Skylark is well 

 known. It is one of the first to commence 

 in spring. 



Flight.— The upward song-flight is very 

 characteristic of this bird. 



Food. — Insects, worms, small seeds, 

 and in autumn and winter, vegetables. 



In confinement the Skylark should be 

 supplied with a freshly cut piece of turf 

 every few days. Young birds may be reared 

 upon scalded bread-crumbs, scalded rape 

 seed, or "ants eggs." When a little older 

 mealworm, hard-boiled egg, German paste, 

 sponge cake, and watercress may be added. 



Migration.— bu: ±e iu ru- 

 bers are greatly increased in the Autumn by 

 fresh arrivals from the continent. A few 

 from the southern counties cross the 

 channel. 



Habitat.— Universally distributed. 



Aeroad. — It is found in all parts of 

 Europe, also in India, X. Africa, Arabia, 

 Russia, Siberia, X. China, Kamschatka and 

 Japan. 



Nest.— The nest is placed in a hollow of 

 the ground, genera', 

 composed of dry gr 



EggS — Foot :; §ve sometimes 

 Dull white or yellowish white, freckled 

 with olive brown or warm brown, most at 

 the large end. 



