42 Mr. Monracu’s Defcriptions of. 
this bird many years before it was given to the world as a diftin® 
fpecies by Mr. Lewin; for, in his folio edition of Britifh Zoology, 
pl. Pi, -he has given what he calls a variety of the Tit-lark (Alauda 
pratenfis) with dufky legs, fhot on the rocks on the coaft of Carnar- 
vonfhire. Should this prove to be the fame bird, of which I be- 
lieve there is no doubt, it does not detract from the merit of Mr. 
Lewin, who firft gave it as a diftin& fpecies, but only ferves to 
fhew the flow progrefs of light upon Natural Hiftory.. That 
gentleman, however, did not feem acquainted with the particulars . 
of its hiftory. This circumftance has induced me to lay before the, 
Society the fruits of my further difcovery refpecting it. 
The Rock Lark only affects the rocky parts of the coaft: where 
the fandy flats intervene it is. not to be met with, except in winter,, 
when it is occafionally found in the marfhes, but feldom, if ever,, 
out of the influx of the {pring tides; from which we may conclude 
its food is principally marine infeéts. Early in the {pring it begins: 
its fong, which much refembles that of the /auda pratenfis, mount-- 
ing in the air like that bird, and returning again to the ground, or 
fome neighbouring rock, with motionlefs wing. It begins breeding 
early in the fpring: on the 16th of April I found a neft with five: 
eggs: it was placed upon the fhelf of a rock, about fourteen feet from: 
the ground, behind a tuft of coarfe grafs, beneath a {mall bufh. 
The neft is formed of dry grafs, marine plants, and very little mofs. 
externally, and lined with finer grafs, and a few long hairs. -The- 
eggs are of a dirty white, fprinkled with numerous {pecks of brown; 
darker and confluent at the larger end, fo.as to appear on that part 
wholly brown : their weight is about 36 grains. — 
The bird weighs about feven drams; the length fix inches. three’ 
quarters. The bill is dufky, near feven eighths of an inch long from 
the apex to the corner of the mouth ; irides hazel; the upper part. 
of the head, back of the neck, and tail-coverts, are of a dark 
brown ; 
