Chirps and 
Chatter. 
THE BIRD WORLD. 
(114) 
Chirps and Chatter. 
THE BLACK LARK IN ENGLAND. 
There is another new bird to go down on the 
British list—several specimens of the Siberian Black 
Lark (Melanocorypha yeltoniensis) having been re¬ 
cently shot in Kent and Sussex in January and 
February last, after some very cold weather. As 
pairs were seen in more than one instance, it is a 
great pity the birds were not left alone, as they 
might very well have colonised the locality—the 
Romney Marsh is bleak enough to suit even a bird 
of the steppes. The Black Lark is considerably 
bigger than the Skylark, and stouter-built, with a 
makes it a matter for great regret that they did not 
succeed in escaping the notice of collectors. Had 
they been let alone, they might very probably have 
remained to breed, and permanently colonised the 
country; and certainly both fanciers and lovers of 
wild life would have welcomed the accession of 
a new Lark, considering how very poorly this group 
of songsters is represented with us at present, there 
being no abundant species but the Skylark, and no 
other regularly found here as a breeder than the 
Woodlark. I hope all readers of the Bird World 
will do their best to protect either this or any other 
Photo by] [ IV. E. Teschemaker . 
Young Australian Crested Doves. 
This is the species which it is proposed to liberate in the London parks. The above specimens 
were bred in a Devonshire Aviary. 
stronger bill; it is only the male that is black, and 
he only in breeding-dress; in winter he is brown, 
like the female. 
A GOOD AVIARY BIRD. 
The species is not unknown to aviculturists; it 
has appeared on the show-bench, and has even 
bred in captivity on two occasions at least. Mr. R. 
Phillipps reared a young bird, and a pair at the Zoo 
nested in one of the pheasantries, right up against 
the netting. In spite of this very public situation, 
the young were hatched, but not reared. The hen 
moved them away from the nest, and then they 
vanished. However, the experience looks as if the 
species had a distinct inclination to take kindly to 
captivity; I believe no other species of Lark has 
ever bred, except the common Skylark. 
PROTECTION OF RARE MIGRANTS. 
The occurrence of pairs of this new British species 
rare visitant that comes their way, and give it a 
chance. 
THE BIRD ON TOP. 
The somewhat Israelitish countenance on the 
cover this month will not puzzle any reader who has 
seen the first number of the magazine, which con¬ 
tained an article on Hornbills, in which the Black 
Hornbill, our present subject, was described and 
figured. This bird (Ceratogymna atrata ) is a native 
of West Africa, and is one of the species most com¬ 
monly imported here. It is therefore to be re¬ 
gretted that it is also about the ugliest. Hornbills 
are, generally speaking, quaint rather than beauti¬ 
ful ; but this species is really a bit too quaint to be 
presentable, with its very thick casque or helmet of 
a dingy horn colour. The body-colour is black, with 
some white in the tail, and the female bird is dis¬ 
tinguished by having a reddish-brown head. 
