ambition is satisfied without making- any permanent stay, and it begins to descend, not with a uniform 
downward motion, but by a series of droppings with intervals of simple hovering, during which, it seems to 
be resting on its wings. Finally, as it draws near the earth, it ceases its song and descends more rapidly ; 
but before it touches the ground it recovers itself, sweeps away vvith almost horizontal flight for a short 
distance, and disappears in the herbage. The time consumed in this evolution is at the most from fifteen 
to twenty minutes, more frequently less ; nor have I ever observed it partially descend and soar upwards 
again. A writer in the ‘ Magazine of Natural History ’ affirms that ‘ those acquainted wdth the song of the 
Sky-Lark can tell, without looking at them, whether the birds be ascending or stationary in the air, or on 
their descent ; so different is the style of the song in each case.’ Yarrell was of the same opinion, though I 
am not certain that I have myself attained the skill of discriminating. In July the Lark ceases its soarings 
and song together, hut in fine weather in October it receives a new inspiration and is musical again. From 
time to time during winter, if the season be mild, it resumes its aerial habits, but it neither ascends so high 
nor sings so long, two or three minutes being now the limits of its performance. Like most other birds, it 
sings least about noon and the first two hours of the afternoon ; but it begins before sunrise, having been 
heard at midsummer as early as two o’clock in the morning; and it sometimes continues its song till late on 
into the night, having been heard at ten o’clock, when it was quite dark. Occasionally too, it sings on the 
ground; and in a cage, as all the world knows, it pours out its melody with as much spirit, as if its six 
inches of turf could be measured by acres, and the roof of its eage w'as the vault of heaven.” In confir- 
mation of its having the habit of singing far into the night, I may mention that Lord Falmouth has assured 
me that on his estate of Tregothnan, in Cornwall, he has heard it on a fine summer ev^ening as late as 
eleven o’clock. 
It has always been a source of happiness to me to have been born and to live in a country having 
such a charming accompaniment as the Sky-Lark. How much must our American cousins regret that the bird 
does not form part of their avifauna! how keenly also is the blank felt in Australia! and how mueh w’ould 
either give if the Sky-Lark could be introduced and live among them ! But, however much they may wish for 
it, I, for one, think its establishment in either country impossible. Nature’s laws are strict, and difficult to 
understand ; we cannot tell why the Nightingale will not live in Devonshire, nor the Grouse south ofWales. 
Audubon and others have tried the experiment by turning out cages full of Sky-Larks on Long Island, in the 
State of New York ; but after a very short period they had all disappeared, and doubtless were soon baek 
in Britain, if their pinions were sufficiently perfect to enable them to cross the Atlantic. In Australia 
similar attempts have been repeatedly made, with, so far as I can learn, no satisfactory result. How much 
more, therefore, ought we to value this cheerful creature, whose innate love for its native country prompts 
it ever to remember it ! Having stated that the Sky-Lark is not found in America or in Australia, it will 
be well now to define the area over which it naturally ranges ; and I am sure I shall not be making too 
sweeping an assertion, if I say that it is found in more or less abundance over the wdiole of North Africa, 
from Morocco to the Red Sea, and that it is dispersed in equal numbers over all parts of Europe, but 
becomes more and more scarce as we approach nearer the extreme north. I find it has been observed in the 
Ferroe Islands ; and it is mentioned as one of the stragglers that visit Madeira. Mr. Jerdon states that it has 
been seen in Atfghanistan and the Himalayas, but does not include it in tbe birds of India. Von Schrenck 
enumerates it among the birds of Amoorland ; and Swinhoe states that it is abundant in China. 
The nest is a slight structure of dried grasses, lined with finer fibres, and is plaeed in a depression of the 
ground among the corn, or under the shelter of a tuft of weeds or grasses. The eggs are four or five in 
number, of a greenish grey, irregularly freckled with a deeper tint of the same colour, greyish or umber 
brown, placed so thickly at the larger end as nearly to hide the ground-colour. The young, during the 
downy state of their existence, are very l)eautifnlly marked — so much so that it becomes neeessary to give 
a description of them, in addition to the figures on the accompanying Plate. When ready to leave the nest, 
their wide gapes are orange ; the bill pulpy and yellowisb ; the legs, toes, and claws thick and yellowish ; 
the hind toe quite yellow ; hind claw partially developed, being half the length of the hind toe ; stripe over 
the eye and the throat pale yellow, as is also the whole of the under surface, except the chest, which is a 
vinous stripe bordered with bluish black ; feathers of the upper surface spangled with browm, blackish brown, 
and fawn-colour, the latter occupying the margins and tips of the wing-feathers; neat eyelash, fawn-yellow. 
The Plate represents a female and a nest of young, of the natural size. Tbe flowering plant is the 
Ground-Ivy {Nepeta glechoma'). 
