284 BRITISH BIRDS. 



ALAUDA ALPESTRIS. 



SHORE-LARK. 



(Plate 15.) 



Alauda virginiana, Briss. Orn. iii. p. 367 (1760). 



Alauda alpestris, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 289 (1766) ; et auctorum pliiximoram — 



Chnelin, Latham, {Bonaparte), Naumann, Temminck, (Salvadori), (Dresser), 



(Newton), &c. 

 Alauda flava, Gfmel. Syst. Nat. i. p. 800 (1788). 

 Alauda cornuta, Wils. Am. Orn. i. p. 87, pi. v. fig. 4 (1808). 

 Alauda nivalis, Pall. Zoogr. Eosso-Asiat. i. p. 519 (1826). 

 Eremophila alpestris (Linn.), Boie, Isis, 1828, p. 322. 

 Eremopliila cornuta (Wils.), Boie, Isis, 1828, p. 322. 

 Phileremos alpestris (Linn.), Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. p. 313 (1831). 

 Otocoris alpestris (Linn.),Bonap. Fauna Ital., Ucc. Irdrod. (1832-1841). 

 PMleremos cornutus ( Wils.), Bonap. Proc. Zool. Soe. 1837, p. 111. 

 Philammus alpestris (Linn.), Gray, lAst Oen. 5. p. 47 (1840). 

 Alauda minor, Giraud, Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. N. York, 1841, no. 16. 

 Alauda rufa, Audvh. B. Am. viii. p. 236, pi. 497 (1843). 

 Otocoris cornuta ( Wils.), Bonap. Consp. i. p. 246 (1850). 

 Otocoris occidentalis, MacCall. Pr. Ac. N, Sc. v. 1851, p. 218. 



The Shore-Lark was formerly a very irregular visitor to the British 

 Islands, but during the last few years has occurred annually, sometimes 

 in considerable numbers, about sixty examples having been obtained on the 

 Norfolk and SufEolk coasts in the winter of 1882-83. Yarrell, iu 1856, only 

 recorded six English examples. The first specimen recorded as British was 

 shot on the beach at Sherringham, in Norfolk, in March 1830, and is now 

 in the Norwich Museum. It is of frequent occurrence in Scotland, and was 

 first made known as a visitor to that country in 1859. Several flocks have 

 been observed at different times ; and Gray remarks that he has no doubt 

 that it is a frequent, if not an annual, visitor to the eastern coasts of that 

 country. It does not appear to have been noticed in Ireland. 



The Shore-Lark is a circumpolar bird, breeding on the tundras of both 

 hemispheres beyond the limits of forest-growth. In the Palaearctic Region 

 it breeds in the extreme north-east of Norway, and as far south as Quickiok 

 in lat. 67°, where it is said to breed in the fells ; it passes through Finland 

 and Archangel on migration, breeding only north of the forests. In the 

 valley of the Petchora at Ust Zylma, in lat. 65^°, it passed through in 

 great numbers on migration, but we did not again see it until we reached 

 sat. 67|°. In the valley of the Obb, Knsch first met with it in lat. 67^°; 



