The Skylark. 



233 



tbin ; the upper mandible is brown, and the under one 

 yellowish flesh colour. The head and upper parts of the 

 body are pale rufous, or yellowish brown, marked over with 

 dark brown spots and stripes. The iris is hazel, and around 

 each eye is a sort of spectacle eye-marking, of pale, indistinct 

 yellow. The cheeks are greyish brown. The wings are 

 partridge brown, margined with pale yellowish brown on the 

 outer web ; the first wing coverts are dark brown, fringed 

 with pale brown. The throat is dirty yellowish white. The 

 tail is dark brown, the two middle feathers being dusky 

 brown, and the two exterior feathers, on each side, more or 

 less margined with white on both sides of the quill. The 

 under part of the neck and upper part of the breast are 

 pale brown, marked with small dark brown spots ; the lower 

 portion of the breast, belly, and vent, is dirty greyish white. 

 The legs and feet are brown ; there are three toes and a 

 spur, the latter being considerably longer than the claws. 



Habits and Breeding. — The Skylark is indigenous to 

 Great Britain, and is gregarious, and locally migratory in 

 habit. The birds go together in flocks, in the winter 

 months, in quest of provender, from one place to another, 

 visiting stubble and turnip fields, rick-yards, and, when near 

 the sea, the seashore, keeping mostly in the vicinity of low- 

 lands in ' sheltered situations. They are plentiful throughout 

 the Continent, inhabiting Eussia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, 

 Germany, France, Italy, and Greece ; and they have also 

 been observed in some parts of Africa. In fact, they seem 

 :almost ubiquitous ; go where you will — east, west, north, or 

 south, inland or seaward, it matters not whither — these 

 birds are never far away. In winter, when the earth 

 is clad with snow, they congregate in large flocks, some- 

 times composed of several hundreds. They may be seen 

 on the seashore, when the tide is low, searching for worms 

 which live in the sand ; they are likewise fond of dusting 

 themselves among the drj'- sand. The Skylark is inclined 

 to be pugnacious, especially when among his own "kith 

 and kin," and more particularly so during the pairing season. 

 The birds are very amatory, and are demonstrative in the 

 display of their affections, and, in consequence, many deter- 

 mined battles are fought at this time, the successful bird 

 generally claiming the envied Venus of song. 



