SHORE LARK. 
311 
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 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 in- 
ches; the forehead, throat, sides of the neck, and line over the 
eye is of a delicate straw or Naples yellow, elegantly relieved 
by a bar of black, that passes from the nostril to the eye, below 
which it falls, rounding, to the depth of three-quarters of an 
inch; the yellow on the forehead and over the eye is bounded, 
within, for its whole length, with black, which covers part of 
the crown; the breast is ornamented with a broad fan-shaped 
patch of black; this as well as all the other spots of black are 
marked with minute curves of yellow points; back of the neck, 
and towards the shoulders a light drab tinged with lake; lesser 
wing coverts bright cinnamon; greater wing coverts the same, 
interiorly dusky, and tipt with whitish; back and wings drab- 
coloured, tinged with reddish, each feather of the former hav- 
ing a streak of dusky black down its centre; primaries deep 
dusky, tipt and edged with whitish; exterior feathers most so; 
secondaries broadly edged with light drab, and scolloped at the 
tips; tail forked, black; the two middle feathers, which by some 
have been mistaken for the coverts, are reddish drab, centred 
with brownish black; the two outer ones on each side exterior- 
ly edged with white; breast of a dusky vinous tinge, and mar- 
ked with spots or streaks of the same; the belly and vent white; 
sides streaked with bay; bill short (Latham, in mistake, says 
seven inches^), of a dusky blue colour; tongue truncate and 
bifid; legs and claws black; hind heel very long and almost 
* Phil. Trans, vol. ixii, p, 398. 
f Arct. Zoo\. +Syn. vol. ir, p. 385, 
