THE SKYLARK

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 145, 23 June 1930, Page 8

THE SKYLARK

COLONY IN:CANADA

A C^ARM FOR TOURISTS \ • ■ ■

(From "The Post's", Representative.)" - | VANCOUVER,, 28th May. | ■ Tho only English skylarks left in North America are in ■ tile' immediate environs of Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, which, by a ■ coincidence, is the most English city out- , side-, England.' They are thriving, and 'are-there to stay. i * The history of the skylark, and the efforts to acclimatise the famous English songster in North America, is' being gradually pieced together from notes assembled by the Smithsonian Institution, from "Bird ■ Lore," the official organ of the Audubon Society of North America, from widely scattered officials of the society and from the Natural History Society. The first colony of skylarks to be introduced into North America, ■ was settled at Hatbush, Long Island, in 1887. In the ' following year they were introduced into the tush near Victoria by the St. George Society, under the presidency of Mr. .Justice Drake. A few years later they were introduced to Honolulu from New Zealand. The Hatbush colony has now disappeared. A colony planted near Portland, Oregon, in 1903 disappeared soon after. It is understood that tho Hawaiian colony became naturalised, i but no definite recent information is 1 available. j California tourists, who are noted bird lovers, say it is worth the trip 1 north to hear tho marvel of. tho song lof tho lark in the meadows of the ■ Hudson's Bay Company's farm at ] Cadboro Bay, near Victoria. I In 1903 an order was placed by Mr. Ashdown Green, of Victoria, for j 250 songbirds at a cost of about SB 100, to which the Government of British Columbia contributed £40. All the I goldfinches and Tobins perished, and I many of tho skylarks. Tho balance acclimatised themselves and slowly increased. A second consignment, in 1913, included brown linnets and blue tits, as well as goldfinches, robins; and skylarks. This collection was unfortunate. Bad weather, confined quarters, | and unwise feeding took heavy toll. j Not one of the 300.goldfinches, robins, i linnets, and blue, tits survived. 1 Twenty-four skylarks that were reI leased on the mainland also i perished. I The 49 skylarks 'that were placed in the environs of Victoria. alone, got a ! foothold. Since that timo they have grown in number and widened, their I habitat, though keeping within a ! radius of ten miles of the city of Vici toria. By a coincidence tho circle in I which they live and sing is almost exj clusively populated by English settlers.