Occurrence of the Shorclark in Ecist Lothian. 183 



XII. Notes on the Occurrence of the Shorelark (Otocorys 

 alpestris) in East Lothian. By Mr George Pow. [Com- 

 municated by WiLLiMi Evans, Esq., F.E.S.E.] (Specimen 

 exhibited.) 



(Read 17tli February 1886.) 



On 30th January 1886 a ilock of six shorelarks was 

 observed by my friend, Mr E. E. Sutter, East Barns, to rise 

 from a field of barley stubble near Thorntonloch, about five 

 miles to the eastward of Dunbar. The field lies adjacent to 

 the sea, and the birds had settled in a slight hollow about a 

 hundred yards from the beach. They were in company with 

 about a score of skylarks, and on the flock being disturbed, 

 the species separated. Mr Sutter distinguished the shore- 

 larks from the skylarks by their heavier flight, and, following 

 them up, was successful in securing two specimens, both of 

 which, I am informed by Mr Evans, who dissected them, 

 were males. One of them, through the kindness of Mr 

 Sutter, is now before the Society. The other is very similar 

 to it in plumage. 



A week later, in company with Mr Evans, I went over the 

 ground where these specimens were got, but, in spite of a 

 diligent search, none of the remaining birds could be dis- 

 covered among the numerous skylarks, etc., which we raised. 

 That they were still in the neighbourhood was, however, 

 beyond doubt, for on returning to the field after about an 

 hour's absence, we came upon the remains of one newly 

 killed — presumably by a hawk that we had observed hunting 

 in the vicinity. In addition to the usual mass of feathers, 

 the remains consisted of the sternum and other bones — all 

 most perfectly divested of the flesh, but with the wings and 

 legs still attached — and the stomach. The head appeared 

 to have been entirely swallowed. Mr Evans informs me that 

 the stomachs contained the seeds of an Atriplex, a Polygonum 

 and a small leguminous plant, together with a few of the 

 cotyledons or first leaves of some plant, all mixed with a 

 copious supply of grains of quartz. From the throat of one 

 of the birds I took two grains of barley. 



The first recorded Scotch killed shorelark was a male, 



