CAGE AND SINGING BIRDS. 
63 
a songster to all birds whatsoever, except the chafiSnch and 
nightingale. 
THE TITLARK, 
Titling, or meadow pipet, is a well-known species in this 
country, where it remains all the year, frequenting wet 
meadows, moors, commons, and pasture-lands chiefly, 
although it is to be found in nearly all situations. It has 
more of an olive tinge in its plumage than the lark proper, 
so to speak ; and the spots on its white breast are remark- 
ably distinct, and extend far down the lower part of the 
body, the whole length of which is about six inches and a 
half, including the tail, which is short. Bechstein, who 
calls this the smallest of the German larks, gives five inches 
and a half as the length ; but this does not apperir to be 
quite correct. His description of the bird otherwise so 
closely corresponds with the well-known British species, 
that we cannot hesitate to apply his remarks and directions 
thereto. 
The titling, in whose nest it is said the cuckoo most 
frequently deposits her single egg, builds early in the 
season, and uses for her materials dried grasses and root 
fibres, with hair for lining ; her eg'gs are four or five in 
number ; they vary much both in size and colour, but are 
usually of a brownish white or gray, spotted and freckled 
with purplish gray or reddish brown. The nest is often 
placed on a grassy bank; sometimes beneath a bush or tuft 
of herbage. It is always on the ground, and generally well 
concealed. This is one of the birds that will feign being 
wounded, to entice the spoiler from its young brood, which 
should be taken before they are fully fledged, and fed on 
bread soaked in milk, mixed with poppy-seed and ants* 
eggs; they are very docile, and soon acquire the notes 
of other songsters which they hear, especially those of the 
canary. 
Grown titlarks may be captured in spring by means of 
limed twigs over the nest, or attached to a decoy bird. In 
autumn great numbers resort to the oat stubble, and may be 
there taken in a night net. Up to September, the warer- 
tl'ap is tolerably successful. It is a difficult matter to get 
them, when freshly caught, to take the common food of the 
