236 ALAUDIDyE. 



1846-47, the whole coast was covered with these birds. The 

 distance thence to England being so short, he is surprised they 

 are not occasionally co mm on in the latter country. But he is 

 certain that they could not escape notice, owing to the "constantly 

 upright position of the crest." 



A specimen of this bird shot in the island of Paros-, in 

 June, 1841, came under my inspection. Alauda of some kind 

 flew on board H.M.S. Beacon, on the 25th and 26th of April, 

 1841, between Malta and the Morea, but none of them being 

 taken, the species cannot be announced with certainty. For the 

 same reason, the species, or even genus of several Alauda or 

 Anthi, which we saw near the summit of the highest mountain 

 in the island of Syra, on the 7th of May, could not be positively told. 

 They were similar in size to the titlark {Anthus pratensis), but of 

 a lighter colour on the under plumage : legs flesh-colour. The 

 beautiful pied wheatear, as already noticed, was in the same 

 locality. 



Very few examples of the Shore Lark, Alauda alpestris, have 

 been obtained in England : it has not yet been observed in Scot- 

 land (Jard. and Macg.) or Ireland. The Short-toed Lark, Alauda 

 brachydactyla, is only known as British, from a specimen taken near 

 Shrewsbury. (Yarr.) 



THE WOODLABK. 



Alauda arborea, Linn. 



Is a resident, but very local species, 



And one of those unobtrusive birds, little known except to the 

 lover of nature, by whom it is perhaps valued the more on that 

 account. It is not under any circumstances to be met with in 

 flocks like the skylark. So very choice is the woodlark in the place 

 of its abode, as to be singularly local. In the counties of Down and 

 Antrim, it frequents districts where the soil is warm, the country 

 well cultivated and wooded, or scenery, which, like its song, is of a 

 sweet, soft character; — cold clay districts, though equally im- 

 proved and sheltered, cannot, so far as known to me, claim it for 



