ALAUDID.E. 



THE CRESTED LARK. 



Alauda cristata, Linnaeus. 



The Crested Lark is a tolerably common bird just across the 

 Channel, for instance at Boulogne, Wimereux and Cape Oris Xez 

 (J. H. Gurney), yet authenticated specimens have seldom been 

 obtained, even in the south of England. The late Mr. Bond had 

 an example obtained at Littlehampton, Sussex, pre\-ious to 1845, 

 and another was taken alive near Shoreham on October 20th 1S63 ; 

 while in Cornwall, at intenals, four have been killed in autumn and 

 winter, and one on June 12th iSSo. The late CapL Hadfield's 

 assertion that one was captured in the Isle of Wight, as well as state- 

 ments that a bird had been taken from the nest near Cambridge and 

 that the species had bred near Dover, lack the requisite confirmation. 

 There are no authentic records from Scotland. In Ireland, a Crested 

 Lark appears to have been shot in co. Dublin prior to Februar}- 

 1836, by Sir W. H. Russell, the celebrated war-correspondent. 



The Crested Lark flourishes best in warm countries, but it can 

 bear cold well, though snow interferes with its means of subsistence, 

 and it is resident in small numbers as far as 6o~ X. laL in Sweden 

 and Russia. In Denmark, Northern Germany, Holland and Bel- 

 gium, it becomes more frequent : in the north of France it is fairly 

 common ; while in Central and Southern Europe it is abundant. 



