three rare Species of Britifh Birds. 41 
3. ALAUDA PETROSA.—ROCK LARK. 
A. olivaceo-fufca fubtus flavicans, lateribus colli peCtoreque fufco 
- *maculatis, reétrice extima albo dimidiata. 
Alauda obfcura, La. Ind. orn, 2. p. 494. 7. 
Duiky Lark, Lewin’s Br. birds, vol. 3. pl. 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 diftinétion, I did not hefitate in acknowledging 
my being wholly 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 
diftin@ion; which name Mr. Lewin afterwards adopted in his publis 
cation on Britifh birds, vol. iii. No.g4, as well as Mr. Latham 
in‘ his Ind. orn. vol. ii, p. 494—7- In the year 1791 F difcovered 
this bird to be a native of the coaft of South Wales, from Mon- 
mouthfhire to St. David’s, the extreme part of Carnarvonthire, 
in all the rocky fituations. Upon enquiry of the nativés, I found 
fome' of the fifhermen knew it by the name of the Rock Lark, and 
that it was indigenous to thofe parts: ‘this name therefore I continue 
it’by, inftead of Dutky Lark, being expreflive of its habits. As I 
trad an opportunity of feeing thefe birds daily, I thought myfelf for- 
tunate not only in proving, beyond all doubt, that it was a Britith 
{pecies,: but alfo'in being able: to inveftigate its natural hiftory, and 
with certainty toadd another bird to the catalogue of this country ;. 
and riy wifhes were: fully accomplifhed by finding feveral nefts with 
eggs. There is fome reafon to believe Mr. Pennant had met with 
Vor. 1V. G this 
