3 
Robinson killed another, and two more were shot by myself and brother, all within the distance 
of a few fields from each other. From what I observed of their habits, I found that they almost 
invariably alighted in fields in which cows were feeding, ignoring others in their way, and were 
constantly running or flitting from one cow-dab to another, actively pursuing flies and small 
coleopterous insects flying near. Their flight was undulating, much like that of the Wagtail; 
and their rather loud call-note, often uttered when moving from one place to another, much 
resembled (to my ear) something between those of the Pied Wagtail and Sky-Lark. Six of these 
birds were obtained at the beginning of winter; but Mr. Dodd and I came across a pair rather 
late in spring, one bird of which he killed.” 
It has been met with as far north as Fredrikshald, in Norway, where, according to Mr. R. 
Collett (J. f. O. 1869, p. 393), a single specimen was obtained in August 1843; and Professor 
Sundevall writes (Sv. Fogl. p. 42) that “a young male was taken alive on a steamer in Calmar 
Sound, in Sweden, during a fog, on the 18th of October, 1856.” My Russian correspondents do 
not refer to it as having occurred in either the northern or central portion of that country; nor 
has it been recorded from Finland; but Borggreve states (J. f. O. 1871, p. 212) that, according 
to Blasius, small flocks are from time to time met with on the coasts of the North Sea during 
autumn and winter; and, according to Herr Maas (J. f. O. 1862, p. 450), it is said to be tolerably 
common in Heligoland. Von Droste Hiilshoff records it from the island of Borkum, where, he 
states (J. f. O. 1868, p. 406), many specimens were observed and killed in 1867 and 1868; and 
he says that altogether twenty-seven were met with there in the months of September, October, 
and December. Professor Schlegel (Vog. Nederl. p. 177) records it as found in Holland, where, 
he writes, it breeds on the dunes and heaths bordering the sea-coast, but he does not give any 
specific information as to its nidification; and I have specimens obtained near Antwerp in 1870. 
Degland states that it occurs every autumn in the neighbourhood of Lille; specimens are also to 
be found in the Paris markets amongst the bunches of Larks from Picardy; and examples have 
been obtained near Bergues and Dunkirk ; also one specimen is recorded from Metz. In Provence, 
according to Jaubert and Barthélemy-Lapommeraye, it is also found on the spring as well as on 
the autumn migration; but the statements (originating with Mr. P. Roux) of its nesting in that 
province require further confirmation. It occurs in Spain; and Major Irby, who sent me a 
carbolized specimen from Gibraltar, informs me that he only met with it there from the Ist of 
March to the 20th of April, and it appeared to be rare. Mr. Howard Saunders, however, writes 
(Ibis, 1871, p. 216) as follows :—“I possess two fine examples, which were obtained near Malaga 
on the 2nd of February. In some winters the species is not uncommon.” 
In Italy, according to Salvadori, it has occurred at irregular intervals in almost every 
province; and Doderlein states that specimens have been obtained near Palermo, but that it is 
certainly rare in Sicily, and has not yet been met with in Sardinia. 
It has occurred in Malta, where Mr. C. A. Wright records it (Ibis, 1864, p. 61) as “ acci- 
dental. In the spring of 1853 I was so lucky as to shoot one of two which appeared on Fort- 
Manoel Island. My attention was attracted by its exceedingly sharp and powerful note. Another 
is recorded as having been taken in October.” 
Both Von der Miihle and Erhardt state that it occurs in Greece during the summer, and 
breeds there, being found in the Morea, but not in Rumelia; but Lindermayer never observed 
K 
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