Throughout the Western and Southern Districts during autumn and winter. Breeds in Labrador and the Fur Countries. Abundant.
Brown Lark, Alauda rufa, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. v. p. 89.
Anthus Spinoletta, Bonap. Syn. p. 90.
Brown Titlark, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p 49. Adult.
Prairie Titlark, Anthus pipiens, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 408, Young. Brown Titlark and Prairie Titlark, v. v. p. 449.
This species is nearly allied to Anthus aquaticus and A. pratensis, more especially to the latter, from which it is distinguished by having the bill much stouter, the tarsus longer, the hind claws stouter, more curved, and much shorter, the colour of the feet much darker, in being always much more rufous beneath, and in sometimes, when the summer is advanced, being almost entirely unspotted there. From A. aquaticus it is at once distinguished by the whitish band over the eye, and the white on the outer tail-feathers. It indeed seems wonderful that any ornithologist should have mistaken it for that species.
Bill rather short, or of moderate length, somewhat conical, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with its dorsal line sloping and slightly convex, the edges sharp and overlapping, the notches generally obsolete; the tip narrow and a little deflected; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length and narrow, the dorsal line ascending and nearly straight, the edges slightly inflected, the tip acute; gape-line straight. Nostrils elliptical or oblong, basal. Head oblong, of moderate size; neck rather short; body ovate. Feet of moderate length, or rather long; tarsus compressed, with eight anterior scutella; toes slender, compressed; the hind toe elongated, second and fourth about equal, third much longer. Claws rather long, arched, slender, much compressed, laterally grooved, acute, that of the hind toe very long, straightish, tapering. Plumage generally soft and blended. Wings rather long, broad, the inner secondaries tapering, and one so elongated as nearly to equal the longest primary, when the wing is closed. Tail of twelve feathers, generally emarginate. Roof of the upper mandible concave, generally with three prominent lines; tongue slender, thin, flat, tapering to a slit and bristly tip; œsophagus of uniform width; stomach a very strong muscular gizzard of a roundish form and compressed, its lateral muscles very large, its epithelium dense and rugous; intestines short, of moderate width; cœca very small, cylindrical. Nest on the ground. Eggs five or six, oval, spotted.
Bill rather short, stout, somewhat conical, compressed, straightish, acute; upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly arched, the edges without notch, the tip acute; lower mandible with the dorsal line ascending, slightly convex, the edges a little inflected, the tip acute. Head rather large; neck short; body ovate. Legs of ordinary length, anteriorly scutellate; lateral toes nearly equal, hind toe of moderate size, with a very long, tapering, acute, and nearly straight claw. Plumage rather dense and compact. Wings of moderate length, the second and third quills longest; inner secondaries much elongated. Tail of moderate length, emarginate.
151. 1. Alauda alpestris, Linn. Shore Lark.—Horned Lark.
Male with two erectile pointed tufts of feathers on the anterior lateral parts of the head. In winter the upper parts dusky brown, the feathers paler on the edges; on the forehead a recurved crescentic band of brownish-black; another curved downwards, proceeding on each side from the base of the upper mandible; a band of yellowish-white over the eye and forehead; throat pale-yellow, with a broad dusky patch on the lower neck, the rest of the lower parts brownish-white; quills dusky, tail-feathers blackish, excepting the two middle, which are reddish-brown, like the upper tail-coverts. In summer, the brownish-black bands on the head and neck become deep black, the throat and frontal band white, and the upper parts light brownish-red. Female dusky brown above, dull white beneath; the wings and tail as in the male, but the black bands on the head and neck wanting. Young from the nest with the upper parts deep brown, mottled with pale reddish-brown, lower parts pale yellowish-grey.
Male, 71/2, 14.