BIRD NOTES 47 



In recent years the local bird-catchers have learned 

 to recognise certain interesting birds I will not say 

 rarities, because careful observation has proven them 

 otherwise. The American Shore-Lark (Otocorys 

 alpestris) was thought exceedingly rare until 1876, 

 when an educated gunner made the discovery of its 

 frequent appearance. He shot several that year. 

 And although subject to variation in numbers, 

 scarcely a year goes by but a number are now 

 observed and captured. 



A rather covetous gunner shot nineteen one 

 morning in 1882 ; another, in October 1880, ob- 

 serving a flock of six, killed them all one after the 

 other. They were stupidly tame, like Dotterel; 

 the survivors settled not far off after each discharge 

 of the gun. The Shore-Lark is sociable in its habits, 

 affecting the society of Snow-Buntings ; amongst 

 these, too, the Lapland Bunting (Calcarius lap- 

 ponicus) is usually noticed. Migrants of the last- 

 named species also arrive almost every winter. 

 In October and November 1892 over fifty were 

 taken and shot ; since then the bird-catchers, who 

 easily distinguish its more silvery note from the 

 call of the Snow-Bunting, do their best to capture 

 it, with only too much success. 



