1822.] Bewick’s History of British Birds. 301 
Syst. Nat.(Gmel) a fringilla montium which answers to this 
bird. We observe too in the body of the work, the same 
Latin name assigned to the common linnet, and to the lesser 
red-pole, as being on the authority of Linneus. 
Alauda Campestris—Lin. Spipolette—Buf. Field or Rock 
Lark.—We have some demur as to the precise place to be 
assigned to this bird. Established usage is obstinate; but, 
perhaps, a better arrangement,—of at least vernacular names, 
might be contrived for the individuals of this obscurely marked 
family. The distinction intended by Linneus, and signified by 
Frisch, in the term A. Novalium, we believe, is, in the main, 
correct,—that it affects fallow or waste lands. This would 
lead to the expunging of rock lark, as the bird cannot be one 
and the other. Latham makes it meadow lark ; perhaps, upon 
the whole, the best name of all. There is another lark that 
affects rocky situations; but whether these peculiarities may 
not sometimes arise from locality, or other circumstances, 
might admit of some doubt. In Egypt, it appears, the com- 
mon sky-larks are called mountain birds; and very likely 
they may in that country affect high situations, which they 
certainly do not with us. Climate or season too often in- 
fuences habit. Thus in winter we never see them in the air, 
and they utter only a faint note on the ground. In summer 
itis their lofty aerial position, and the long continued delightful 
warbling that point them out to observation. 
Alauda Minor—Lin. Lesser Field Lark, or Tree Lark.— 
A similar incongruity of terms meets us here. Between tree 
lark, and field lark, there can be no affinity as regards habit. 
The authorities are in favour of its being called field lark, 
or lesser field lark,—that is, we suppose, reckoning the sky or 
common lark (A. Arvensis) to be the greater field lark. A 
difficulty might be got rid of by styling this bird the A. Arvensis, 
that is, field lark; and the sky lark might be called the 
A. Vulgaris, canora, or _ortherea. There is a precedent for it 
in Gmelin’s changing linaria to linota as the trivial name of 
the common linnet, though we suggest it with much hesitation. 
It would also free the subject from the embarrassment before 
urged, of making size a specific character. Such a practice 
is not admissible, even when the difference of size is striking, 
as in the bittern, and little bittern. But in a family like the 
resent, the members of which vary in size so nicely as by a 
ew eights of an inch, and are but faintly discriminated by 
plumage and other characters, the practice is calculated to 
destroy accuracy. Another proof, were any wanting, of the 
confusion thus created is to be found here. The present bird 
is styled the A. Minor; yet there is iu the body of the work 
a description of the A, Trivialis or pipit, which is termed the 
smallest of the lark kind. 
