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 with almost horizontal flight for a short
distance, and disappears in the herbage. The time consumed iu 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 tile ‘ Magazine of Natural History ’ affirms that ‘ those acquainted with 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, but in fine weather in October it receives a new inspiration and is musical again. From
tune 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. Oecasionally too, it sings on the
ground; and m a cage, as all the world knows, it pours out its melody with as much spirit, as if its six
niches of turf could be measured by acres, and the roof of its cage was the vault of heaven.” In confirmation
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 evening 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 most 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 much would
either give if the Sky-Lark could be introduced and live among them ! But, however much they may wish for
it, 1, for one, think its establishment in either country impossible. Nature’s laws are strict, and difficult to
understand ; wc cannot tell why the Nightingale will not live in Devonshire, nor the Grouse south of Wales.
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 back
iu 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 i t ! 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 whole of North Africa
from Morocco to the Bed 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
l<erroe Islands; and it is mentioned as ope of the stragglers that visit Madeira. Mr. Jerdon states that it has
been seen in Afghanistan and the Himalayas, hut does not include it in the 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 placed 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 beautifully mark ed -so much so that it becomes necessary to give
a description of them, in addition to the figures on the accompanying Plate. When ready to leave the nest
then- wide gapes are orange; the bill pulpy and yellowish ; 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 brown, blackish brown
and lawn-colour, the latter occupying the margins and tips of the wing-fcathcrs; neat eyelash, fawn.yellow ’
The Plate represents a female and a nest of young, of the natural size. The flowering plant is the
Ground-Ivy {Nepeta glecloma). ° 1 ll,e