THE SHORE-LARK. 189 
Family—ALAUDIDA. 
THE SHORE-LARK. 
Otocorys alpestris, LINN. 
REEDS within the Arctic Circle beyond the limits of forest-growth in 
B the northern portions of the Old and New Worlds; on migration it 
occurs throughout the greater part of Europe, though hitherto not recorded 
from Spain and Portugal; eastwards it is met with in Turkestan, S. Siberia, 
and N. China. 
To Great Britain this bird was at one time only an irregular visitor, but 
since the winter of 1869-70 when there was a considerable immigration to our 
eastern coasts, its appearance in autumn and winter has been regular; according 
to Mr. Aplin specimens have visited us on the northward migration in spring 
as late as April 22nd. On the eastern coast of Scotland it has been met 
with as far north as St. Andrews. 
The adult male of the Shore-Lark has the forehead, a stripe partly en- 
closing the eye and ear-coverts and extending over the sides of neck and 
uniting with a patch over the chin and fore-throat creamy-white; the front 
of the crown and an erectile tuft on each side of the crown, the lores, cheeks 
and a belt across the lower throat and breast, black; ear-coverts creamy, tipped 
with brown; nape, mantle, lesser wing-coverts, and upper tail-coverts vinaceous 
brown; wing-coverts tipped with white; quills smoky brown, the first primary 
white externally, the others with ashy margins; feathers of the back greyish 
brown with black centres to the feathers; two central tail-feathers coloured 
like those of the back, the remainder black, the outer feather with white 
margin to the outer web; remainder of under parts creamy white, becoming 
vinous on the breast, flanks, and thighs; flanks streaked with brown; bill 
and feet black; iris deep brown. The female is smaller, duller, with less 
black and no erectile tufts on the head, but with dark centres to all the 
feathers of the upper parts. Young males resemble the winter plumage of 
the female, but young females show no yellow on the forehead and have black 
bases to the feathers of the crown. After the autumn moult adult birds have 
yellow margins to the feathers on the head and nape. 
Vor. Il. 
