SHORE LARK. 
87 
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, exteriorly 
edged with white; breast, of a dusky vinous tinge, and 
marked 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 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 description, which, however, has been 
rendered necessary, by the errors of others. The female has 
little or no black on the crown ; and the vellow 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 eyebrow; these are longer, more pointed, 
and of a different texture from the rest around them ; and the 
bird possesses 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, viz. Alauda cornuta , or Horned Lark. 
These horns become scarcely perceivable after the bird is 
dead. The head is slightly 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 territory of the United States. 
Synopsis, vol. ii. p. 385. 
