ALAUD1NJE. 



323 



the less conical bill, and peculiar form of the feet. 

 By far the greater numbers live entirely on the 

 ground, run swiftly, feed on grains, ba*k in the 

 sun, and among the dust, and exhibit in their 

 manners a great resemblance to the rasorial birds. 

 Their flight is powerful, and capable of being 

 long sustained, and the song is often melodious, 

 and of considerable compass.* In the British 

 list, we can only rank a single genus, the True 

 Larks, which Mr Swainson considers as the 

 Fissirostral type of the family. 



A LAUD A, Linn. Generic characters. Bill 

 sub-conic, nearly cylindrical, nostrils con- 

 cealed ; wings long, with the spurious quill 

 very short, the three next nearly of equal 

 length ; tertials lengthened ; feet with the 

 claws slightly curved, that of the hinder toe 

 long, and nearly straight. 



Europe, America. 



Type. A. arvensis. Habits terrestrial. 



* The Alauda calandra, according to Colonel Sykes' 

 late observations, is a delightful singing bird. Proceed. 

 ofZooL Soc. 



