SHORE LARK. 
.jl2 
Straight; iris of the eye hazel. One glance at the figure on the 
plate will give a better idea than the whole of this minute des- 
cription, which, however, has been rendered necessary by the 
errors of others. The female has little or no black on the crown; 
and the yellow on the front is narrow, and of a dirty tinge. 
There is a singular appearance in this bird which I have never 
seen taken notice of by former writers, viz. certain long black 
feathers, which extend, by equal distances beyond each other, 
above the eye-brow; these are longer, more pointed, and of a 
different texture from the rest around them; and the bird pos- 
sesses the power of erecting them so as to appear as if horned, 
like some of the Owl tribe. Having kept one of these birds 
alive for some time I was much amused at this odd appearance; 
and think it might furnish a very suitable specific appellation, 
mz. Mauda cornuta, or Horned Lark. These horns become 
scarcely perceivable after the bird is dead. The head is slight- 
ly crested. 
Shore Lark and Sky Lark are names by which this species is 
usually known in different parts of the union. They are said to 
sing well; mounting in the air, in the manner of the Song Lark 
of Europe; but this is only in those countries where they breed. 
I have never heard of their nests being found within the terri- 
tory of the United States. 
