314 BROWN LARK. 



bourhood of Philadelphia all winter, if the season be moderate. 

 In the southern states, particularly in the lower parts of North 

 and South Carolina, I found these Larks in great abundance in 

 the middle of February. Loose flocks of many hundreds were 

 driving about from one corn field to another; and in the low 

 rice grounds they were in great abundance. On opening num- 

 bers of these, they appeared to have been feeding on various 

 small seeds with a large quantity of gravel. On the eighth of 

 April I shot several of these birds in the neighbourhood of Lex- 

 ington, Kentucky. In Pennsylvania they generally disappear, 

 on their way to the north, about the beginning of May, or ear- 

 lier. At Portland, in the District of Maine, I met with a flock 

 of these birds in October. I do not know that they breed with- 

 in the United States. Of their song, nest, eggs, &c. we have no 

 account. 



The Brown Lark is six inches long, and ten inches and a half 

 in extent; .the upper parts brown olive touched with dusky; 

 greater coverts and next superior row lighter; bill black, slen- 

 der; nostril prominent; chin and line over the eye pale rufous; 

 breast and belly brownish ochre, the former spotted with black; 

 tertials black, the secondaries brown, edged with lighter; tail 

 slightly forked, black; the two exterior feathers marked largely 

 with white; legs dark purplish brown; hind heel long, and 

 nearly straight; eye dark hazel. Male and female nearly alike. 

 Mr. Pennant says that one of these birds was shot near Lon- 

 don. 



