NE OU Crh TOON Ixxvii

of this bird in our islands—one at Unst in Shetland on the 4th of May 1854 (now in the collection of

Mr. Bond), and another in September of the same year at Freshwater in the Isle of Wight.

142. ANTHUS PRATENSIS : ; ; ; : : : : Volt, Bi Xie

Meapow-Prrit or Tiruark.

A truly resident species, breeding in all the moorland counties of the three kingdoms, often the foster-
parent of the young Cuckoo in this and the other European countries in which it is found. A large race of
Meadow-Pipits arrive on our south coast in spring, and, it is believed, spread themselves over the central

and perhaps the northern portions of the country.

143. ANTHUS ARBOREUS : :

: : : et : ; : ; Wolk iit Pl XLVe

Tree-Prrerr.

A summer migrant to England and Scotland, but ‘ not,” says Thompson, ‘“ satisfactorily known as an
Irish species ;” arrives in spring, and departs in September.

3?

Family ALAUDID.

The Larks constitute a very large family of birds, and are perhaps less understood than any other group
in the whole range of ornithology. Those species which frequent Britain are arranged in the genera Alauda,
Galerita, Otocoris, Melanocorypha, Calandrella. They are chiefly inhabitants of the Old World. -Of
the genus Aauda, under which term all that were known when Linneus wrote were included, our well-known

Sky-Lark is a typical example. In America these birds are but feebly represented.

Genus ALaupDa.

144. ALAUDA ARVENSIS . :

: : : : : : : : Vol; is BE OXY:

Sxy-Lark.

A strictly resident species in Britain, the numbers of which are greatly increased by arrivals from
Scandinavia in autumn, the whole forming immense flocks in the winter season. This species is also widely
dispersed over Central and Southern Europe ; and its range may even extend further in those directions.
In the preceding portion of this Introduction I have mentioned the great destruction of small birds which
occasionally takes place from the severity of the weather, in further confirmation of which I may here give
a passage from a note received by me from John St. Aubyn, Esq., of Pendeen, in Cornwall, dated January
15, 1867 :—‘* Owing to the severity of the cold, Larks and other small birds are beginning to die rapidly of

starvation, judging from the number my children pick up.”