Alauda arborea, LINNÆUS; Le Cujelier, ou L'Alouette des Bois,
ou La Loulou, BUFFON; Die Waldlerche, BECHSTEIN.
This charming species is one-third smaller than the field-lark, and
resembles it much in form and gait. The beak is black above, brown
below, tending to carnation at the tip. The shanks, three quarters of an
inch high, are of a brownish flesh-colour. The top of the head is
reddish brown, with four dark brown lines; its long feathers render the
head large, and they may be raised at pleasure into a crest, which from
eye to eye is surrounded by a whitish ash-coloured line. The tail is
very short.
The female, more beautiful, is of a paler ground, with darker ornaments;
her breast more spotted; the crest on her head more prominent, and the
line round the cheeks more distinct. It is a well attested observation
made on all our indigenous species, that the individuals with the most
spots on a lighter ground, and of a clearer white, are certainly
females.
HABITATION.--When wild these birds inhabit the temperate regions of
Europe, in summer the woods of the plain, near fields and meadows,
and in the woods of the hills they alternate between heaths and
pasture lands. After breeding time they assemble in small flocks of
ten or twelve. They are thus found in the stubble, at their departure
in October, and their return in March.
In the house I prefer letting them run about, because my experience
shows that they sing better in this way than when caged. They must be
well supplied with river sand, as well to roll and dust themselves as
to pick out grains necessary for their digestion.
FOOD.--When wild, in summer, the food consists of insects; in autumn,
of rape, millet, seed, and oats; in spring, before they can find
insects and worms, they are satisfied with the young buds of herbs,
water-cresses, and, on an emergency, with the buds of the filbert.
In the house, as this species is more delicate than the preceding, it
is well to vary the food, and to give it occasionally, independent of
the universal paste, poppy-seed, oats, hemp, sprouting wheat, fresh
curds, fresh and dried ants' eggs, minced ox heart, meal worms, and
the like. When one of these birds is caught by the net or otherwise,
the best things to induce it to eat when it reaches the bird-room are
poppy-seeds and ants' eggs.
I have seen two wood-larks which had been kept in a cage for eight
years, very healthy and gay, with their feet quite free from disease,
and singing perfectly. Their food consisted of crumbs of white bread
and pounded hemp-seed mixed together; a piece of white bread, enough
for the day, soaked in milk, which was poured boiling over it every
morning, was also furnished; and finally, some ants' eggs, given two
or three times a day as a treat. The bottom of the cage was also
covered with sand, which was changed regularly every day, as well as
the water. They were always kept in summer outside the window,
exposed to the free air, screening them from the sun by covering the
top of the cage with a sheet of paper or piece of linen by way of
parasol. The success of this mode of treatment sufficiently proves
its advantage. The cage was furnished with two bars, because the
wood-lark perches.
BREEDING.--The wood-lark builds among the heath, under juniper bushes,
in hedges, high grass, or under a green hillock in fields near the
woods, or in copse wood. The nest is made of dry blades of grass,
mixed with moss, wool, and hair. The eggs are variegated with light
gray and brownish violet. The young may be bred up with bread soaked
in milk, and ants' eggs. They readily learn the different songs of
the birds with which they are imprisoned; but this medley is less
agreeable to me than their natural song.
DISEASES.--To the list of diseases already given, to which the
wood-lark may be subject, I must add one which is peculiar to it.
This attacks the feet and renders them extremely brittle. I cannot
too strongly recommend to clean them carefully from everything which
might entangle them; a single hair may cut them, so that the toes
shrivel, or ulcerate and fall off. They become so brittle with age,
that with all my cares I could never keep any beyond four years; the
least thing breaks them. Most of the wood-larks which I have had
perished from broken legs; and this peculiarity I have remarked in no
other species of bird.
We see from these instances, that if birds allowed to hop about a
room enjoy more space and free exercise, they are also subject to
more inconveniences and disadvantages than caged birds. Their food is
neither so appropriate or regular; they cannot be kept so clean;
their feet are almost inevitably injured; and lice devour them,
without the power of prevention.
MODE OF TAKING.--The wood-lark may be caught on the nest by means of
limed twigs; but as it is very cruel to separate a pair, and thus to
destroy a whole family, it is better to wait till autumn, and to use
the night-net. They may be caught early in the spring, when there is
snow on the ground, by placing limed twigs or nets in cleared places.
This is the best method of catching them. It is true that this plan
will not succeed in all years; but another may be substituted, if we
have a decoy wood-lark, by placing it under a folding net, in a field
frequented by a flight of this species, which will not fail to join
it. The same means also may be used as with the chaffinch, namely, by
tying the wings of a wood-lark with a limed twig on his back, and
letting him run to the place where there is a male of the same
species. By this means the bird-fancier may obtain whatever kind of
singer he prefers.
ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--Of all the species of larks the wood lark has
the finest song, and to my taste it is, of all our indigenous birds
(always excepting the nightingale), the one whose natural notes are
the most delightful. Its clear flute-like voice executes a sonorous,
tender, and somewhat melancholy air. In the country it rises from the
tops of the trees so high in the air that the eye can scarcely
discern it, and there remaining stationary, the wings and the tail
expanded, it sings uninterruptedly for hours together; it sings in
the same manner when perched on a tree.
In the house, it is from a retired corner, tranquil and motionless,
that it utters the different modulations of its beautiful voice. The
singing time in its wild state is from March to July; in the house,
from February to August. The female, like other larks, sings also,
but her strains are shorter and less sustained. These birds appear to
be subject to whims: I have seen some which would never sing in a
room or in the presence of an auditor. These perverse birds must be
placed in a long cage outside the window. I have remarked that in
general these obstinate birds are the best singers. Their abrupt step
and various frolics, in which they raise the feathers of the head and
neck, are also very amusing.