GALERITA CRISTATA 
Crested Lark. 
Alauda cristata, Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 288. 
galerita, Pall. Zoog. Ross.-Asiat., tom. i. p, 524. 
undata, Gmel. edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 797. 
Galerida cristata, Boie, Isis, 1828, p. 321. 
viarurn, Brehm, Vog. Deutschl., p. 315. 
undata, Boie, Isis, 1828, p. 321. 
Lullula cristata, Kaup, Natiirl. Syst., p. 92. 
Heterops cristatus, Hodgs. in Gray’s Zool. Misc., 1844, p. 84. 
Galerita cristata. Cab. Mus. Hein., Theil i. p. 125. 
How remarkably defined is the limit of the range of some speeies of birds ! a ebain of mountains of no great 
breadth, a narrow strait, or a river of moderate width frequently forming a boundary over which they never 
or very seldom pass. In Australia, in the physical condition of which the hand of man has effected but little 
alteration, many instances of this kind occur ; and in Europe, where science and agriculture have played so 
important a part in altering the face of the country, the restrictions are almost as permanent as ever. The 
Nightingale is not, nor ever has been, found in the British Islands to the south-west of Dorset, or to the 
north of Yorkshire, neither does the Grouse proceed southward of the Bristol Channel. I cite these two 
instances out of many, before proceeding to the history of a bird which forms a still more striking example 
of this sharply defined limit to its range. Every visitor from this country to the neighbouring kingdom of 
France, who takes an interest in birds, must have observed, when strolling towards the interior of the 
country from Calais or Boulogne, that within the distance of a mile he has risen from the dusty road one, 
two, or more pair.s of the Crested Lark ; yet on our side of the channel it very rarely occurs ; so seldom, 
indeed, is it to be seen here, that twenty years may elapse before the most diligent observer can say he has 
met with it. A few solitary individuals have, however, favoured us with their presence ; and for this reason 
we give the species a place in the ‘ Birds of Great Britain.’ 
Mr. Rodd, in his ‘ Guide to the Ornithology of Cornwall,’ states that “ two examples were obtained in 
September 1846, from the road-side between Penzance and Marazion. Attention was drawn to the birds by 
the melodious character of their chirp, resembling more the flute-like tones of the Woodlark than the buoyant 
song of our common Skylark.” Another specimen was observed, and subsequently secured by Mr. J. N. R. 
Millett, of Penzance, in the latter part of October 1850. Besides these, Mr. G. D. Rowley states that an 
example was “ brought in by a bird-catcher, from near Shoreham, in Sussex, alive on the 20th October 
1863,” and he had reason to believe that more were passing over during the autumn of that year. 
On the continent the Crested Lark frequents France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Spain, while Turkey, 
Greece, Asia Minor, Sicily, Crete, and Egypt claim it as one of the commonest birds of their avifaunm ; and 
it appears to be numerous in North Africa, Palestine, Persia, Scinde, Affgbanistan, and India. Mr. Taylor 
states that it is excessively abundant in Egypt — so much so, that he regarded it and Motacilla alba as the 
most numerous of all the small birds in that country. In the Eastern Atlas Mr. Salvin found it “ abundant 
in all the plains, both in Tunis and the Salt-lake country. In the latter districts it was breeding in the 
month of May, but some eggs were obtained in April. The plains appear to be most frequented, but it was 
by no means an unusual occurrence to find it in the mountains and rocky passes.” 
Mr. Jerdon informs us that “ it is found throughout the whole of India, but is most abundant in the north 
and north-western provinces ; it is rare in the Carnatic, not in Malabar, more common in the Deccan, and 
thence spreading from Bebar, in the east, to Scinde and the Punjab, where it is very numerous. It is not 
known in Bengal nor in the Himalayas, nor in the countries to the eastward. It prefers dry and open 
sandy plains to ploughed land, to grass, wet meadows, or cultivation. In winter it may be seen, in small 
parties or sometimes in considerable flocks, occasionally on roads and barren places. The nest is described 
as formed of a little grass in a hole in the ground, and the eggs as four in number, of a yellowish white, 
umformly freckled with greyish yellow and a neutral tint. It is frequently caged in all parts of the country, 
and the bird is kept in darkness by several layers of cloth wrapped round the cage, the custom being to 
wrap an additional cover round the cage every year. In this state it sings very sweetly, and learns to 
Imitate most exactly the notes of various other birds and of animals, such as the yelping of a dog, the 
mewing of a cat, the call of a hen to her chickens, &c.” 
Although the bird is stated to be generally dispersed over the south of Europe, it appears not to occur 
in all parts of it; for it is not included in Count Salvadori’s ‘Catalogue of the Birds of Sardinia,’ and its 
