85 



SHORE LARK. 

 ALAUDA ALPESTRIS. 

 [Plate v.— Fig. 4] 



Alauda alpestrts, Linn. Syst. 289. — Lath. Syn. II, 385.— Pe ale's Museum^ Ko. 5190.—-- 

 Alauda campestris gutture flavo, Bartram,/>. 290. — V Alouette de Virgtnie, De Buff^ V, 

 55. — Catesb. I, 32. 



THIS 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, fre- 

 quenting 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 excellent eating. Their food seems principally to con- 

 sist 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 regu- 

 larly seen during the whole winter. In the stomach of these I have 

 found, in numerous instances, quantities of the eggs or larvae of cer- 

 tain 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. ^ This same species appears also to be found 



* Phil. Trans, vol LXII, p. 398. 



