ALAUDIN^. ALAUDA. 
174 
beyond that of any bird known. The nest is formed in a hol- 
low scraped in the ground, among corn, in a hay field, or in 
an open pasture, and is composed of withered grass, rather 
loosely put together, and lined with finer fibres. The eggs, 
four or five, vary much in size and colour, but are generally 
ten and a half twelfths long, eight and a half twelfths in 
breadth, greenish-grey, freckled with greyish-brown. Toward 
the end of autumn Larks congregate, often in very large flocks, 
and search the stubble, fields for seeds of various kinds, on 
which chiefly they feed during the winter. In February or 
March these flocks break up. Vast numbers are sent to our 
markets in winter, this species forming an esteemed article of 
food. An outcry has been raised against shooting Blackbirds 
and Thrushes, it being alleged that their musical faculties 
ought to exempt them from persecution. If so, why should 
not the Lark be protected, and its devourers held as barba- 
rians 1 
Common Lark. Field Lark. Laverock. 
Alauda arvensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 287. — Alauda arvensis, 
Temm. Man. d’Ornith. i. 281. — Alauda arvensis, Sky-Lark, 
MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, ii. 163. 
104. Alauda arborea. Wood Lark. 
Upper parts light reddish-brown, streaked with brownish- 
black ; the fore neck reddish-white, streaked with brownish- 
black, the sides light brown, the rest of the lower parts yel- 
lowish-white ; a distinct yellowish-white band over the eye, 
continuous with a patch of the same on the nape ; the first 
quill minute, the fourth longest. Young with the upper parts 
yellowish-brown, the feathers with a longitudinal dusky band ; 
lower parts pale greyish-yellow, sides and fore part of neck 
with angular dusky spots ; part of the breast tinged with yel- 
lowish-red, 
Male, 6y^, 12-^, 3^^, Female, 6, 12. 
The Wood-Lark, which is considerably smaller than the 
Sky-Lark, and distinguished from it chiefly by having a whi- 
tish band surrounding the upper part of the head, and much 
enlarged on the nape, is not uncommon in the southern, west- 
ern, and midland districts of England, but of very rare occur- 
rence in the northern. It does not clearly appear that it has 
been met with in Scotland ; but it is partially distributed in 
Ireland. Its habits are similar to those of the last species, 
which it is said to excel in the melody of its song. It fre- 
quently perches on trees and bushes, which the other very 
