136 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



than middle toe ; lateral toes equal ; posterior toe about as long as the middle, its claw 

 longer than the digit, and nearly straight; olaws of anterior toe very small. Wing long, 

 pointed, the third and Tourth (apparently second and third) quills longest, the second and 

 fifth sucessively, a little shorter; the first so small as to be almost concealed; tertials 

 much elongated, reaching about half-way from end of secondaries to tip of primaries; 

 their ends emarginated ; tail rather deeply emarginated, and a little more than half the 

 length of the wing. 



Species. 



A. arvensis. Above grayish-brown, beneath wliitish, with a buffy tinge across 

 jugnluni and along sides ; every feather above with a medial streak of dusky ; sides of 

 throat, sides, and acro-ss jugulum streaked witli dusky ; tlie outer tail-feathers partly 

 white. Wing, 4.90 ; tail, 2.80 ; culmen, .40 ; tarsu.s, .80 ; hind claw, .50. Hab. Europe ; 

 accidental in Greenland and the Bermudas. 



Alauda arvensis, I>inn. 



THE SKYLARK. 



Alauda arvensis, Linn, Faun. Sue. p. 76. Alauda vuhjnris, Leach, Syst. Cat. Mamm. 

 and Birds in B. M. p. 21. Alauda ccelipe.la. Pall. Zoiigr. I, 524. Alauda segetum, 

 BiiEHM, Vog. Deutschl. 318. Alauda mmtaua, Buehm, Vbg. Deutschl. 319, t. 20, 

 f. 1. Alauda agrestis, BliEHM, Vcig. Deutschl. 320. Alauda iialica, G.MEL. S. N. L 

 793. 



Sp. Char. Adult. Above grayish umber-brown, beneath white, tmged acro.ss the 

 breast with soft liglit ocln-aceous. Ever)' feather above with a medial dusky streak, the 

 shaft black; wing-feathers and upper tail-coverts bordered with wliite. Outer tail- 

 feather mostly white, the next one edged with the same. A plain, light superciliary 

 stripe ; auriculars nearly uniform light browni.sh ; sides of the throat, jugulum, and sides 

 with short streaks of dusky brown. 



Male. Wing, 4.90 ; tail, 2.80 ; culmen, .40 ; tarsus, .80 ; middle toe, .55 ; hind claw, ..50. 



Young. Above more yellowish-fulvous, the feathers with central spots, instead of medial 

 stripes of du.sky, and bordered terminally with whiti.sh; jugulum washed strongly with 

 ochraceous, and marked with dusky spots. 



Hab. Europe ; accidental in Greenland and the Bermudas : Aleutian Islands. 



Habits. The famed Skylark uf the Old World can rest a twofold claim 

 to be included in a complete list of North American birds. One of these is 

 their occasional occurrence in the Bermudas, and in Greenland. The other 

 is their jirobably successful introduction near New York. 



A few years since an attempt was made to introduce these birds, for 

 wliicli purpose several individuals were set at lilierty on Lonif Lsland. For a 

 short time tliey did well, and succeeded in raising one or mure broods, but, 

 owing probably to the constant persecution of all small birds by the foreign 

 population of the neighborhood, tlie experiment nearly failed, and none were 

 noticed in that vicinity. Within the last year or two, however, several 

 pan-s of these birds have been observed in Westchester County, and also on 

 Long Isliiiid, by parties competent to recognize them, and hopes are now en- 

 tertained tliat these desirable birds have obtained a foothold in this country. 



