84 
STATURAL HISTORY. 
There arc upwards of eighty foreign birds of this kind. 
The fan-tailed flycatcher, is a native of New Zealand. It 
is about the size of the bearded-titmouse, may be easily tam- 
ed, and will sit on any person’s shoulder to pick off the flies. 
The whole head is black, with a white collar ; the upper parts 
of the body olive brown ; the under parts yellowish nut-co- 
lour, and the tail white, except the two middle-feathers, which 
are black. 
Tiie Lark genus includes about twenty-eight species, all 
of them distinguished by the length of their heel. The Great- 
crested Lark, the Culandre Lark, the While-winged Lark, the 
Lluck Lark, and some others, are found in different parts of 
Europe, but do not visit Britain. The Ski/ Lark, which is 
the most common, the Wood Lark, the Til Lark, the Field 
Lark, which is larger than the former, but less than the sky 
lark ; the Red Lark, and the small crested Lark, which is, 
however, very uncommon, are all British birds. They are all 
song-birds ; but their music in confinement is much inferior 
to what it is when possessed of their native liberty. The 
music, indeed, of every bird in captivity produces no very 
pleasing sensations; it is but the mirth of a little animal in- 
sensible of its unfortunate situation ; it is the landscape, the 
grove, the golden break of day, the contest upon the hawthorn, 
the fluttering from branch to branch, the soaring in the air, 
and the answering of its young, that gives the bird’s song its 
true relish. These united, improve each other, and raise the 
mind to a state of the highest, yet most harmless exultation. 
The lark builds its nest upon the ground, beneath some 
turf that serves to hide and shelter it. The female lays four 
or five eggs, of a dusky hue, in colour somewhat like those of 
a plover. It is while she is sitting that the male usually enter- 
tains her with his singing ; and while he is risen to an imper- 
ceptible height, yet he still has his loved partner in his eye, 
nor once loses sight of the nest either while he ascends or is 
descending. This harmony continues several months, be- 
ginning early in the spring on pairing. In winter, they assem- 
ble in flocks, when their song forsakes them, and the bird- 
catchers destroy them in great numbers, for the tables of the 
luxurious. 
Of the Wagtail there is about eleven species, with us 
only the while, (so called from having a greater proportion of 
white on the belly and tail than the others) the yellow, and 
grey wagtail, are common. The manners of these birds are 
well known. 
