Ornithological Rambles in Sussex

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855 edition. Excerpt: ...alarm the birds prematurely. Dark nights are necessary for this work; stubble and clover fields and meadows furnish the best supply of larks, but the respective value of each of these localities depends on the previous state of the weather, and in this the old wary netter has a great advantage over the beginner, who frequently toils through many a cold night in vain, until dear-bought experience at last places him among the knowing ones of his calling. If the previous day has been wet, larks are not found in wheat stubbles, but in thick rank meadows, and along the higher brows of grassy fields, where they lie very close until touched by the lower edge of the net. In fine weather the reverse of this occurs; meadows would then furnish but little sport, for the larks collect in the stubbles, and are taken in great numbers, although they do not lie so close as in the former situations. Strange to say, during the prevalence of storm and rain the exposed side of a hill is usually preferred to the sheltered; and in the little low valleys, where one would expect the birds to congregate at such a time, the lark-catcher would toil in vain. No bird is so easily netted as the lark; he generally starts from the ground just before the lower edge of the net touches him, and invariably mounts perpendicularly. This characteristic propensity to ascend at once may be observed by any person who treads up a lark in a field, and satisfactorily illustrated by releasing, at the same moment, a newly captured lark and a sparrow from a cage or hat within the precincts of a room. While the sparrow will fly off horizontally, dash himself against the window, and lie almost stunned from the shock, the lark will generally mount upwards to the ceiling, and flutter there for a...