three rare Species of Briti/h Birds. 41 



3. ALAUDA PETROSA.— ROCK LARK. 



A. olivaceo-fufca fubtus flavicans, lateribus colli pe&orequc fufco 

 maculatis, reprice extima albo dimidiata. 

 Alauda obfcura, La. Ind. orn. 2. p. 494. 7. 

 Dufky Lark, Lewirfs Br. birds, vol. 3. //. 94. 



HAVING been favoured with a fpecies of Alauda a few years 

 fince, from that excellent ornithologift Mr. Latham, amongft others 

 of the fame genus, in which he honoured me by a requeft of my 

 opinion as to their diftinclion, I did not hefitate in acknowledging 

 my being whoily unacquainted with this bird ; but I took the liberty 

 of pointing out fuch fpecific differences from all other Britifh larks, 

 as might obviate the idea of its being only a variety of fome other 

 fpecies. It was the only one that gentleman had ever feen, and 

 was fent to him by Mr. Lewin. As no defcription of it could be 

 found in any author, I gave it the name of the Dufky Lark, for 

 diftinc~tion ; which name Mr. Lewin afterwards adopted in his publi- 

 cation on Britifh birds, vol. iii. No. 94, as well as Mr. Latham 

 in his Ind. orn. vol. ii. p. 494 — 7. In the year 1791 I difcovered 

 this bird to be a native of the coaft of South Wales, from Mon- 

 mouthihire to St. David's, the extreme part of Carnarvonihire, 

 in all the rocky fituations. Upon enquiry of the natives, I found 

 fome of the fifhermen knew it by the name of the Rock Lark, and 

 that it was indigenous to thole parts : this name therefore I continue 

 it by, inflead of Dufky Lark, being expreflive of its habits. As I 

 had an opportunity of feeing thefe birds daily, I thought myfelf for- 

 tunate not only in proving, beyond all doubt, that it was a Britifh 

 fpecies, but alio in being able to inveftigate its natural hifrory, and 

 with certainty to add another bird to the catalogue of this country ; 

 and my willies were fully accompliihed by finding feveral nefts with 

 eggs. There is fome reafon to believe Mr. Pennant had met with 

 Vol. IV. G this 



