88 SWIFT. 



The Woodlark suffered very severely from the cruel winter of 

 1 880-1, and is as yet more infrequent than it usually is. 



[Alauda cristata — Crested Lark.] 

 A rare straggler to the south coast of England. 



[Genus — Calan drella.] 



[Calandrella brachydactyla — Short-toed Lark.] 



Rare on South Coast. Once near Shrewsbury. 



[Genus — Melanocorypha.] 



[Melanocorypha calandra — Calandra Lark,] 



Once near Devonport ; once near Exeter. 



[Melanocorypha sibirica — White-winged Lark.] 

 Once near Brighton in 1862. 



[Genus — Otocorys.] 



[Otocorys alpestris — Shore Lark.] 



Irregular winter visitor to the coasts of Great Britain. 



Order— PICARIv^. 



Genus— CYPSELUS. 



CYPSELUS APUS— Swift. 



Swift birds that skim o'er the stormy deep, 

 Who steadily onward your journey keep, 

 Who neither for rest nor slumber stay, 

 But still press forward by night or day. 



Anon. 



This singular bird, so sombre in colour and so peculiar in 

 shape, is very common throughout Herefordshire. It frequents 



