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Genus OTOCOEYS. 



Alauda apud Linnseus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 289 (1766). 

 Eremophila apud Boie, Isis, 1828, p. 322. 

 Phileremos apud C. L. Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. p. 313 (1831). 

 Otocoris, Bonaparte, Icon. Faun. Ital. Ucc. Introd. (1832-41). 

 Philammus apud G. B. Gray, Gen. of B. i. p. 47 (1840). 

 Otocoryx apud Lichtenstein, Nomencl. p. 38 (1854). 

 Otocorys, Bonaparte, Compt. Bend, xxxviii. p. 64 (1854). 



The Shore- or Horned Larks inhabit the Palsearctic and Nearctic Eegions, as also the northern 

 portions of the Neotropical and Ethiopian Begions, three species being found in the Western 

 Palsearctic Begion. 



In habits these birds resemble the Sky-Lark more closely than any of the other Larks ; and, 

 like that bird, they frequent open country, nesting on the ground, and in the autumn collecting 

 in flocks and ranging about in search of food. They run easily and swiftly on the ground, but 

 seldom perch. Their song is sweet, resembling that of Alauda arvensis ; and they utter it whilst 

 circling in the air. They feed on insects and seeds, chiefly on the latter. They make a loosely 

 constructed cup-shaped nest of grass-straws, which they place on the ground, and deposit several 

 yellowish-grey eggs marked with grey and wood-brown. 



Otocorys alpestris, the type of the genus, has the bill moderately short, nearly conical, the 

 upper mandible slightly arched and without a notch ; gape straight ; nostrils oval, basal, concealed 

 by stiff feathers directed forward ; head in the adult male with a long erectile tuft of feathers on 

 each side above the eye ; wings long, pointed, first quill obsolete, the second or third longest* 

 inner secondaries short ; tail rather long, slightly emarginate ; tarsus covered in front with four 

 large and three inferior scutellse ; toes moderate, claws slightly curved, the hind claw elongated 

 and nearly straight. 



The Shore-Larks were first separated by Boie (I. c.) in 1828 from the genus Alauda under the 

 name of Eremophila ; but as Humboldt had previously applied the name Eremophilws to a genus 

 of fishes, it must be discarded, as also Phileremos of Brehm, which was given in 1831, it being 

 preoccupied for a genus of insects. Consequently Otocorys, being the next in order, must stand. 



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