ALAUDIDAE—LARKS.
243
a resident in Epping Forest (43. i. 24), but Mr. Buxton (47) does not mention it.
Mr. Joseph Clarke speaks of it (24) as " rarely seen " round Saffron Walden
about 1845. In the Museum there are a pair obtained at Epping on November
6th, 1839, and presented by Henry Doubleday. Formerly there was a specimen
obtained near Saffron Walden. I have been personally assured by Mr. Clarke
that many years ago they used to be fairly common round Walden, and this
statement is corroborated by Mr. Travis, but I believe they never occur there
now.
Mr. W. H. Hill mentions (12. vi. 452) having met with it near Southminster,
about 1832, but the Rev. J. C. Atkinson expressly says (36. 71) he never met
with it in Essex. Mr. Charles Smoothy has kindly presented me with a skin
shot by himself in a ploughed field near his residence, Old Riffhams, Danbury,
whilst partridge shooting during a very high wind on Jan. 21st, 1889. It is the only
specimen he ever met with in Essex, and his attention was first attracted by its
unfamiliar note.
More, writing in 1865, says (33. 124) it "nests only occasionally in Essex,"
probably alluding to Doubleday's observations in Epping Forest. Certainly it
does not do so now.
Shore Lark : Otocorys alpestris.
A rare and irregular straggler to our coast during winter.
Dr. Bree states (29) that in the winter of 1880-81 one was " captured close to
the cavalry barracks, Colchester." He adds, "It is a very rare bird in this
locality." Mr. Kerry says (40. vii. 120, & 46. 73) : about the end of November,
1882, "a large flight of Shore-Larks arrived on this part of the coast [Harwich]
and frequented the salt marshes. No less than thirty-five were shot." Mr. Hope
writes he has met with them " occasionally off Harwich about Christmas time ; "
but does not remember to have seen them in summer plumage. Mr. Gurney
(40. 225) has received one from the Galloper L.V. Mr. Ambrose tells me that in
years gone by he has preserved specimens from Mersea, and also one shot beside
a wheat-stack at Shrub End, Colchester. Specimens are recorded from Maldon
(29. Nov. 29, 1862), and Mr. Kerry informs me that at Harwich, on Dec. 12th,
1889, five were shot out of a small party of seven. Other occurrences have
probably passed unrecorded.