LARKS, TITMICE, HONEY-EATERS, THEIR KINDRED 
129 
Grahame, in his “Birds of Scotland,” happily describes the nest as follows: — 
The daisied lea he loves, whiere tufts of grass 
Luxuriant crown the ridge ; there, with his mate, 
He founds their lowly house, of withered bents, 
And coarsest speargrass ; next, the inner work 
With finer and still finer fibres lays, 
Rounding it curious with its speckled breast. 
This bird displays great affection for its young, removing them under the fear of impending 
danger, or if the nest is meddled with. Occasionally, however, the bird sits close, instead of 
seeking safety by flight 
Brighton enjoys the credit of consuming more larks than any other place in England, except 
London. It has been estimated that the number of larks annually entering the metropolitan 
markets alone reaches a total of 400,000 — 20,000 or 30,000 being often sent together ; and the 
numbers eaten elsewhere in the country' must be enormous, quite as large, indeed, as abroad. 
Most are captured from the hosts which arrive on the east coast of Scotland and England 
from the Continent on approach of severe weather, the birds making their appearance in 
thousands, forming a constant and unbroken stream for two or three days in succession. 
Close allies of the Larks, the W.A.GTAILS and Pi PITS come ne.xt under consideration. The 
former range over the Old World, but are unknown in Australia and Polynesia. The pipits 
have a similar range, but one species is found in, and is peculiar to, Australia. Like wagtails, 
pipits are unknown in Polynesia; only two species occur in America. 
The W.^GT.-tlLS are generally black and white, grey and white, grey with yellow breasts, 
or yellowish green with y'ellow breasts. In the last-mentioned case, as in some specimens of 
the Yellow W.^gtail, the yellow predominates. These birds frequent streams and stagnant 
waters, like the Red and Grey Wagt.\ILS ; or corn-fields and meadows, as in the case of the 
Yellow Wagtail. All these are commonly met with in the British Islands. 
' ^ ^ ^ •'A 
fhoto b) C. Rcid'^ 
skylarks 
The numbers of skylarks seem to increase with the spread of agricultural improvement 
