378 ANTHUS RICKARDI. OTOCOKYS ALPESTHIS. 



ANTHUS RICHARDI (Vieillot). 



[§ 1978. Five. — Dauuria, 1867. From Dr. Dybowski, tlirough 

 M. Jules Verreaux, 1868. 



Ill the 'Journal fiir Oniitliologie ' for 1868 (pp. 334, 339), HH. Dybowski 

 and Parrex mention this species as common and nesting at Darasun, and notes 

 of its habits by the former of these observers, with particular description of 

 its eggs, one of which is iigured reduced in dimensions, were contributed to 

 the same journal for 1873 (pp. 83, 81, tab. ii. fig-. '21).'] 



OTOCORYS ALPESTRIS (Linuieus). 



SHORE-LARK. 



I found the Shore-Lark very coramoii in East Finmark on all the 

 cultivated lands near the sea, and also up the hills, although less 

 numerous. It was very delightful to hear it singing as it sat on a 

 post, or on a rail, or on a barn top. At one house where I was 

 staying, it used to come on the roof soon after midnight and sing 

 for several hours in the cool sunshine. Its nests, of which I found 

 several, were placed, like common Larks^, in a depression of the 

 ground, often near a stone, and there was nothing very striking in 

 the nesting habits or actions of the bird. One, whose nest I had 

 some difficulty in finding, betrayed it by running on its eggs whilst 

 1 was watching it a few feet distance. The nests, when taken out of 

 their place, are found to be of a loose structure, and are generally lined 

 with down from the willow or other plants. The number of eggs 

 commonly four, or sometimes five. The bird appears to be double- 

 brooded, the first eggs being very early, the second laid in July. 

 I found from experience that if its nest and eggs are taken it will 

 have a new nest and eggs twice again, at least, and not far from the 

 original spot. It breeds on the highlands in the north of Lapland, 

 quite in the interior of the country. In the autumn, flocks of it are 

 to be seen in the corn-fields, like Common Larks in other countries, 

 on their way south along the course of the rivers.^ 



' [The above paragraph was written in 1856 for Mr. Hewitson's use, and is 

 quoted from liis work, he having kindly given me permission to cite in this book 

 all the information furnished to his last edition by Mr. Wolley. This passage did 



