Lark mirrors
Subtitle: folk art from the past
By: by Herman F. Arentsen and Natalino Fenech.
Contributors: Fenech, Natalino, 1962-
Publisher: [s.n.]
Published: 2004
Place of publication: [Malta]
Language: eng
Number of pages: 140
Subjects: Decoys (Hunting); Fowling.
First sentence: Evolution of lark mirrors

The origin of lark mirrors is still obscure in history.  Lark mirrors are likely to have evolved from observations that animals and birds were drawn to water.  Still waters often reflect like mirrors do.  This could have led to a common practice of baiting traps for both mammals and birds with mirrors.  Clearchus of Soli (ca 340 BC) wrote that in ancient Greece, mirrors were set up in runs with snares so that birds attracted by their reflection were caught in nooses.  Jackdaws were easily caught when their feathers were soiled on falling into bowls filled with oil, to which they were drawn by their own reflection (Pollard 1977).  References to the practice of baiting traps with mirrors can also be found in a number of early hunting manuals such as the book of Roy Modus, written in 1379 [Fèrrières 1932].  Other references are given in Duynoyer de Noirmont (1868).  The next step, in which pieces of  mirrors were stuck to a piece of wood which could be moved or spun at speed, brought about the invention of the lark mirror.  In a way it is curious that shining objects were used to attract birds as shining objects were also used to scare birds away.  Several catalogues offered shining silver coloured glass balls to protect poultry from birds of prey and flat mirrors to protect vegetable gardens from birds.  References to the use of such scaring devices date back to at least 1651 and they are still in use (Manufrance 1921, Sollfrank 1999).

The first written references to the use of lark mirrors is found in the late 1500s and mentions the lark mirror in connection with trapping (Gauchet 1583).  Lark mirrors are often mentioned in books related to fowling and agriculture in the 1600s and 1700s.  But as Harting (1883) argues, their origin could be earlier as the earliest known references do not refer to them as “novel” or as “lately  introduced devices.”  

Available references indicate that lark mirrors were used in  varying degrees in Britain, France, Italy, Malta, The Netherlands and Germany.  In France and Italy they became more popular than in other countries mostly due to the fact that they were industrially made in such countries and hence more readily available in the late 19th century and for the best part of the 20th century.   Lark mirrors were initially used by fowlers who used them to lure larks to the nets.
Description: This is the first part of the Foreword by the late Karel H. Voous, Emeritus Professor of Zoology,
Free University of Amsterdam and Honorary Scientific Assistant at the Zoological Museum of the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands


This is a remarkable book written and composed by two remarkable authors and dealing with a remarkable subject.  One, Herman F. Arentsen, is a retired civil servant from the city of Amsterdam, and the best informed ornithologist in the Netherlands on old and modern cages, traps, snares, decoys and other lures to catch birds.  Together with Dr A.C. Van Bemmel (Rotterdam Zoo), he organised an exhibition at the XV International Ornithological Congress at The Hague in 1970, showing all kinds of paraphernalia related to the subject matter.

The other, Dr Natalino Fenech, is a journalist who was deeply involved in the environment protection   movement in Malta.  He wrote a book about hunting practices in Malta and later read for his PhD at Durham University in Britain, where he studied about the ins and outs of hunting in the Mediterranean region. Together, they have written historical data and collected old and contemporary illustrations, which, apart from being pretty and often romantic, add considerably to understanding and evaluating the mystery of lark mirrors. 

This is what was written by the late Emeritus Professor of EthnographySture Lagercrantz, from the University of Uppsala, Sweden



Much has been written about hunting, hunting related items as well as traps.  I myself have modestly contributed to the wealth of publications about traps.  But lark mirrors, a form of decoy used for luring larks, had escaped the attention of authors...  until this book came along.  I must admit that throughout my research, I came across very little information about lark mirrors and I was pleasantly surprised that these two authors have found so much material.  Lark mirrors — or as the French call them, miroirs a alouettes, are part of the hunting lore which deserve the attention they are given in this book.

This book is more than seminal.  It covers all aspects one could think of and more.  The authors have rummaged through well over 220 references ranging from books to patents to catalogues.  They also spoke to people who used them.  From all of these sources they gleaned morsels of information, which they analysed and put into its proper context.  The book also contains an impressive number of illustrations which help the reader see what one is reading about.

This book is of interest to anyone interested in the folklore of birds and of hunting, social history, ethnography as well as anyone who has any interest in the past.  It has been done with care and an evident passion for the subject from two authors who know what they are talking about.


If you are interested in this book you can send an e mail to: natalino.fenech@yahoo.com
Notes: In English with a summary in French and Italian.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 103-111).

Foreword	vi
Comments about the book	vii
Preface	ix
Acknowledgments	xi

Chapter 1
Evolution of lark mirrors	1
Other lark lures	7
Lark calls	14
Composition of a lark mirror	16
Fatal attraction	21	
Rites of autumn	26

Chapter 2	
Lark lure makers	29
Some lark mirror patents	33
Manual vs. other models	38
Some fancy models	40	

Chapter 3
Lark mirrors in England	45	
Lark mirrors and shooting	48	

Chapter 4
Lark mirrors in France	51	
Earliest references	56	
Developments and experiments	58	

Chapter 5
Lark mirrors in Italy	65
Record bags	66
Popular lures	67
Unusual models	70

Chapter 6	
Lark mirrors in Malta	75	
Poor man’s lures	76
Varying shapes	79
Luring larks	81
A historial perspective	84

Chapter 7	
Lark mirrors in the Netherlands	87
Lark mirrors in Germany and Austria	89
Conclusion	92

Summaries
Miroirs aux alouettes 
Sommaire en français	93
Gli specchietti per le allodole 
Riassunto in Italiano	98

Bibliography	103

Appendix 1	
Different names for lark mirrors	112	

Appendix 2
Some known lark mirror makers	112

Appendix 3
Different shapes of manually operated 
lark mirrors and dates when they were 
available for sale	115

Appendix 4
Different shapes of clockwork operated and 
battery powered lark mirrors and dates when 
they were available for sale	123

Appendix 5
Lark mirrors whose makers or the dates when 
they were made or sold are unknown	129	
 
Appendix 6
Industrially made lark mirrors showing 
modifications or variations 	131

Appendix 7
Different  industrially made bird-shaped lures 	132

Appendix 8
Line drawings of some interesting lark mirrors
made by artisans	133
Table of contents: label: 1
title: Evolution of lark mirrors