The Woodlark. 
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" Alas ! it's no thy neebor sweet, 
The bonnie Lark, companion meet ! 
Bending thee 'mang the dewy weet ! 
Wi' speckled breast, 
When upward springing, blythe to greet 
The purpling east." 
Bukns. 
11 Early, cheerful, mounting Lark, 
Light's gentle usher, morning's clerk, 
In merry notes delighting." 
Sir John Davis. 
THE WOODLARK. (Alauda arborea.) 
This species is smaller than the skylark, and its voice 
deeper ; it has also a circle of white feathers encompass- 
ing the head, from eye to eye, like a crown or wreath, 
and the utmost feather of the wing is much shorter than 
the second, whereas in the common lark they are nearly 
equal. This bird sometimes emulates the nightingale ; 
for which, when pouring forth his sweet melody in the 
grove, during a silent night, he is often mistaken. These 
birds sit and perch upon trees, unlike the common lark, 
which always keeps to the ground. They build their 
nest at the foot of a bush, near the bottom of a hedge, or 
in high dry grass. The number of their eggs is about 
four, of a pale bloom colour, beautifully mottled, and 
clouded with red and yellow. Like the skylark, they 
assemble in large flocks during frosty weather. Their 
usual food consists of small beetles, caterpillars, and other 
