SHORE LARK. 403 



grain ; others are less limited in the nature of their food ; 

 but so great is the power of the beak in some of the species 

 included in this division, that they are enabled to break 

 down the hardest seeds, and even to crack the stones of 

 various fruits, by which they obtain the highly-flavoured 

 kernels within. The arrangement of the genera and species 

 will exhibit a gradual increase in the size of the mandibles 

 till the maximum of power is attained. 



In the year 1831, I learned of my late friend, Mr. John 

 Sims, then residing at Norwich, that a British-killed speci- 

 men of the Shore Lark, the Alaiida alpestris of authors, had 

 come into his possession. The bird was shot on the beach at 

 Sherringham in Norfolk in March 1830, it was preserved by 

 Mr. Sims, and is now in the collection of Edward Lombe, 

 Esq. of Great Melton, near Norwich, the possessor of one of 

 the most complete and perfect collections of British Birds. 



A second example of this species, according to the testi- 

 mony of Thomas Eyton, Esq. has been killed in Lincoln- 

 shire ; and I have heard of a pair that were obtained toge- 

 ther on an extensive down in Kent, the male only of which, 

 being the more showy and attractive bird, was preserved. 



The Shore Lark inhabits the northern parts of Asia, Eu- 

 rope, and America ; but appears to be more plentiful on the 

 continent of North America than elsewhere ; and detailed 

 accounts of its habits and geographical range will be found in 

 the valuable works of Wilson, Dr. Richardson, and Mr. 

 Audubon. 



Wilson says the Shore Lark visits the United States in 

 winter, going as far south as Georgia. Mr. Audubon says, 

 these birds in severe weather are seen in Massachusetts as 

 early as October ; but seldom proceed on the Atlantic side 

 beyond Maryland, or the lower parts of Kentucky, west of 

 the Alleghany mountains, and he saw but one in Louisiana. 

 Pennant, in his Arctic Zoology, states that in very severe 



2 D 2 



