70 BIRDS OF MIDDLESEX. 



Alauda rubra . . Gmelin, ' Sjst. Nat.,' 1788, i. 



794. 

 „ rufa . . Wilson, 'Amer. Orn.,' 1812, 89, 



pi. 89. 



This rare visitant from North America is not in- 

 cluded in Yarrell's ' Histor}^ of British Birds,' 

 although Pennant, Edwards, and Montagu all speak 

 of it as having heen taken in England. 



On the authority of the two last-named authors, I 

 have given it a place in this Catalogue. 



Edwards describes and figures it* under the title 

 of " Lark from Pennsylvania," and says : " I have 

 found it in the neighbourhood of London." Mon- 

 tagu calls it the Red Lark, Alauda rubra f (as also 

 do Pennant and Latham), and after fully describing 

 the bird, he adds, " the above description was taken 

 from a specimen which w^as killed in Middlesex, and 

 now in my 2:)ossession." 



As this species, from its close resemblance to 

 other members of the genus, has probably been 

 often overlooked, I have given the above synonyms 

 to establish its identity and to furnish references for 

 those who may have the opportunitj^ of obtaining 

 specimens which they have, perhaps, hitherto looked 

 upon as only a variety of one of our commoner 

 Pipits. 



* Edward's ' Gleanings,' ii. 185, pi. 297. 

 f Montagu's ' Ornithological Dictionary, 1805-13, art. 

 Ptedlark. 



