WESTERN SHORE LARK. 353 



of small coverts, and several of those adjoining. Primary quills brownish- 

 black edged with white, secondaries much darker and more broadly edged 

 and terminated by white; tail feathers light blue, with a narrow band of 

 black, terminating in a broad white band. Third quill longest, the first and 

 second nearly equal. 



Total length about 10^ inches; wing from flexure 6i; bill along the ridge 

 ^, along the edge 1; tarsus 1; middle toe 1, its claw ^; hind toe f, its claw 

 i; the tail, which is slightly rounded, measures A\. The female remains 

 unknown. 



FAMILY XIV.*— ALAUDIN.E. LARKS. 

 Gentjs I.t— ALAUDA, Linn. LARK. 



WESTERN SHORE LARK. 



- Alauda rufa, Lath. 

 PLATE CCCCLXLVIL— Male. 



Here, reader, is another of those species which, by its general habits as 

 well as appearance, I did not notice until this moment; afraid, indeed, of 

 promulgating an error myself before the world of naturalists that exist, and 

 who do not excuse an error, unless indeed that error is committed by them- 

 selves. Now, however, that years have elapsed, and that in the meantime 

 I have had ample opportunities of watching this species, and of comparing it 

 with our Mauda alpestris, I have not hesitated to figure it, and present it 

 to you as a good species, not hitherto placed in my works on the ornithology 

 of our country. 



This species is quite common on all the western prairies which I lately 

 visited, and is also found in Texas, as well as in several portions of South 

 America. It breeds on the prairies, forming its nest somewhat imbedded in 

 the ground, and raises only one brood in a season. As I have already said, 



* See vol. iii. p. 43. t Ibid. p. 44. 



Vol. VII. 49 



