SHORE-LARK. . 87 
SHORE-LARK.—ALAUDA ALPESTRIS.—Fice.: 18. 
Alauda alpestris, Linn. Syst. 289.— Lath. Synop. ii. 385.— Peale’s Museum, No. 
5190.— Alauda campestris, ne flavo, Bartram, p.'290.— L’Alouette de 
Virginia, De Buff. v.55. — Catesb. i, 32. : 
ALAUDA ALFESTRIS, — Linnzxvs. 
Alauda alpestris alouette 4 Hause col noir, Temm. i. 279.— Bonap. Synop. 102. 
— Vieill. Gal. des Ois. pl. 155, p. 256.— Alauda cornuta, Swain. Synop.— 
Birds of Mexico, Phil. Mog. 5: Ann. 1827, p. 434. — North. Zool. ii. p. 245. 
Tus is the most beautiful of its genus, at least in this part of the 
world. It is one of our winter birds of passage, arriving from the 
north in the fall; usually staying with us the whole winter, frequent- 
ing sandy plains and open downs, and is numerous in the Southern 
States, as far as Georgia, during that season. They fly high, in loose, 
scattered flocks; and at these times have a single cry, almost exactly 
like the Sky-Lark of Britain. They are very numerous in many 
tracts of New Jersey, and are frequently brought to Philadelphia 
market. They are then generally very fat, and are considered excel- 
lent eating. Their food seems principally to consist of small, round, 
compressed, black seeds, buckwheat, oats, &c., with a large proportion 
of gravel. On the flat- commons, within the boundaries of the city. 
of Philadelphia, flocks of them are regularly seen during the whole 
winter. In the stomach of these I have found, in numerous instances, 
quantities of the eggs or larve of certain insects, mixed with a kind 
of slimy earth. About the middle of March they generally disappear, 
on their route to the north.* Forster informs us that they visit the 
- environs: of Albany Fort in the beginning of May, but go farther 
north to breed ; that they feed on grass seeds and buds of the sprig 
birch, and run into small holes, keeping close to the ground, from 
whence the natives call them Chi-chup-pi-sue.t This same species 
appears also to be found in Poland, Russia, and Siberia, in winter, 
from whence they also retire farther north on the approach of spring ; 
except in the north-east parts, and near the high mountains.} - 
The length of this bird is seven inches, the extent twelve inches ; 
the forehead, throat, sides of the neck, and line over the eye, are of a 
delicate straw, or Naples yellow, elegantly relieved by a bar of black, 
* In winter, says Pennant, they retire tq the southern provinces in great flights ; 
but it is only by severe weather that they reach Virginia and Carolina. They {re 
went sand hills on the sea shore, and feed on the sea-side oats, or Uniola paniculata. 
hey have a single note, like the Sky-Lark in winter. —'Temminck mentions them 
as birds of passage in Germany, and that they breed also in Asia. One or two 
specimens’ have lately been killed in England, so that their geographic range is -: 
“pretty considerable. “The Alauda calandra of Linnseus is introduced into the “ 
Northern Zoology, as an inhabitant of the Fur countries, on the authority of a 
specimen in the British Museum, and will stand as the'second Lark found in that 
country. — Ep. ‘ 
+ Philos hical Transactions, vol. Ixii. p. 398. 
t ‘Anttte Buotoey: hy 4 ; é 
c 
