234 ALA 
length and feventeen in breadth, containing very good 
iron mines. 
ALAUDA, or Lark, f. in ornithology, a genus of 
birds of the order of pafferes; the characters of which 
are thefe—The beak is cylindrical, fubulated, flraight; 
and the two mandibles or chaps are of equal fize. The 
tongue is bifid, and the hinder claw is flraight and longer 
than the toe. There are twenty-eight fpecies of thealau- 
da, of which the following are the mod remarkable : 
1. The arvenfis, or common fky-lark. This and the 
wood-lark are the only birds that fing as they fly; this rai¬ 
ling its note as it foars, and lowering it till it quite dies 
away as it defcends. It will often hoar to fuch a height, 
that we are charmed with the mufic when we lofe fight of 
the fongfler; it alfo begins its fong before the earlieft 
dawn. It continues its harmony feveral months, begin¬ 
ning early in the fpring on pairing. In the winter they 
affemble in vaft flocks, grow very fat, and are taken in 
great numbers for our tables. They build their nefl on 
the ground, beneath fome clod, forming it of hay, dry 
fibres, &c. and lay four or five eggs. Thefe birds are ge¬ 
nerally taken in the greateft quantity in the neighbourhood 
of Dunflable ; the feafon begins about the 14th of Sep¬ 
tember, and ends the 25th of February ; and during that 
fpace about 4000 dozen are caught, which fupply the 
markets of the metropolis. See Bird-catching. Vaft- 
ly greater numbers than the above, however, are caught 
at times in different parts of Germany, where there is an 
excife upon them. Keyfler fays, that the excife alone 
produces 6000 dollars (about 900I. fterling) every year to 
the city of Leipfic; whofe larks are famous all over Ger¬ 
many, as having the mod: delicate flavour. But it is not 
only at Leipfic that they are taken in fuch numbers, but 
alfo in the country about Naumberg, Merfeburg, Halle, 
and other parts. 
2. The pratenfis, or tit-lark, has the two outward fea¬ 
thers of the wing edged with white, and frequents the 
meadows. It is found frequently in low marfhy grounds ; 
and, like other larks, it builds its nefl among the grafs, 
and lays five or fix eggs. Like the wood-lark, it fits on 
trees; and has a moft remarkable fine note, finging in all 
fituations, on trees, on the ground, while it is fporting in 
the air, and particularly in its defcent. 
3. The arborea, or wood-lark, is a native of Europe, 
and is diftinguifhed by an annular white fillet about the 
head. It is inferior in fize to the fky-lark, and is of a fhort- 
er thicker form ; the colours are paler, and its note is lefs 
fonorous and lefs Varied,►though more fweet. It perch¬ 
es on trees, and whiffles like the blackbird. It will fing 
in the night; and, like the common lark, will fing as it 
flies. It builds on the ground, and lays five eggs. The 
males of this and the laft are known from the females by 
their fuperior fize. 
4. The campeftris has one half of its chief feathers of 
the wings brown, except two in the middle which are 
white, and the throat and bread: are yeliowifh. 
5. The trivlalis, whofe chief feathers on the tail are 
brown, only half of the outermofl is white, and the fe- 
cond is white at the end, in the fhape of a wedge; there 
is likewife a double whitifh line on the wings. It is a na¬ 
tive of Sweden, and perches on the tops of trees. 
6. The criftata. The chief tail-feathers are black, but 
the two outermofl are edged with white, and the head is 
crefled. It is a native of Europe. It fings well, like the 
Iky-lark; lays four or five eggs; and is faid to hatch twice 
in a year. 
7. The fpinoletta: the chief tail-feathers are black, on¬ 
ly the outermofl two are obliquely half white. It is a na¬ 
tive of Italy. 
8. The alpeflris: the chief wing-feathers are half white, 
the throat yellow, and it has a black flreak under the eyes 
and on the bread. It inhabits North America, where it 
is migratory. It vifits the neighbourhood of Albany the 
beginning of May, but goes farther north to breed. In 
A L E 
winter it comes in vafl flocks into Virginia and Carolina, 
returning north in fpring. It runs into holes ; whence the 
natives of thefe laft parts have given it the name of chi- 
chup-pi-fue. The Englifh call it the ortalon, and reckon 
it delicious eating. By fome it is called fnow-bird. , as be¬ 
ing very plenty in that feafon. 
9. The magna, is yellow on the belly, with a crooked 
black flreak on the bread, and the three fide-feathers of 
the tail white. This fpecies is a native of Africa and 
America. 
jo. The New Zealand lark, is feven and a half inches in 
length; the bill i§ half an inch, of a pale afh-colour, 
with the upper part black; the upper parts of the body 
are dufky, edged with pale afh-colour; the bread and bel¬ 
ly are white; the legs reddifli afh-colour, and the claws 
black. It inhabits Charlotte Sound, and is called kos-oo 
aroiire. 
ALAUTA,' a confiderable river of Turkev in Europe, 
which, after watering the north-eaft part of Tranfylva- 
nia and part of Wallachia, falls into the .Danube almod 
oppofite Nicopolis. 
ALAY, f. [fignifying in the Turkifli language “the 
triumph.”] A ceremony which accompanies the aflem- 
bling together the forces of that vaft empire upon the 
breaking out of a war. It confids of the moft infipid buf¬ 
foonery, attended with aits of the moft (hocking barba¬ 
rity. That which took place upon occalion of the late 
war between the Porte and Ruflia, is defcribed by Baron 
Tott as follows: 
“ It confids in a kind of mafquerade, in which each 
trade fucceflively prefents to the fpedators the mechanical 
exercife of its refpedlive art. The labourer draws his 
plough, the weaverhandles his fhuttle, the joiner his plane'; 
and thefe different characters, feated in cars richly orna¬ 
mented, commence the proceflion, and precede the ftancL 
ard of Mahomet, when it is brought out of the feraglio 
to be carried to the army, in order to infure victory to the 
Ottoman troops. 
“ This banner of the Turks, which they name Sand- 
jah-Cheriff, or “The ftandard of the Prophet,” is fo re¬ 
vered among them, that, notwithftanding its reputation 
has been fo often tarnidied, it dill retains their implicit 
confidence, and is the facred fignal unto which they rally. 
Every thing proclaims its fanCtity. None but the emirs 
are allowed to touch it; they are its guards, and it is car¬ 
ried by their chief. The Mufliilmen alone are permitted 
to look upon it. If touched by other hands, it would be 
defiled; if feen by other eyes, profaned. In fhort, it is 
encompafled by the mod barbarous fanaticifm. 
“ A long peace had unfortunately caufed the ridiculouf- 
nefs, and efpecially the danger, of this ceremony to be 
forgotten. The Chriftians imprudently crowded to fee 
it; and the Turks, who, by the fituation of their houfes, 
could make money of their windows, began to profit by 
the advantage ; when an emir, who preceded the bannefl, 
proclaimed with a loud, voice, ‘ Let no infidel dare to pro¬ 
fane with his prefence the holy ftandard of the prophet; 
and let every Muffulman who perceives an unbeliever 
make it known under painof reprobation.’ 
“ From that moment no afylum was to be found; even 
thofe became informers, who, by letting out their houfes, 
had rendered themfelves accomplices in the crime. A 
religious fury feized on every mind, and put arms in every 
hand; the more atrocious the cruelty, the more was it 
meritorious. No regard was paid to fex or age; pregnant 
women, dragged by the hair, and trodden under feet by 
the multitude, perifhed in the moft deplorable manner. 
Nothing was refpedted by thefe monflers; and under fuch 
aufpices the Turks commenced the war.” 
ALB,_/i [album, Lat.] In the Romifli church, a veft- 
ment of white linen hanging down to the feet, and anfwer- 
ing to the furplice of the Englifh clergy. In the ancient 
church, it was ufual, with thofe newly baptized, to wear 
an alb, or white veftment; and hence the Sunday after 
Eafter 
