590 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL RISr. SOCIETY, Val. XXVI 



In the breeding display the male rises in the air in an ascend- 

 ing succession of dipping curves, uttering all the time a jangling 

 rather bunting like note; arrived at the highest point in the air 

 he then falls again to earth in an abrupt curve with stiff partly 

 extended wings. This Pipit perches freely on bushes and tufts 

 of grass, 



1 took four fresh eggs from a nest on 29th June. This nest 

 was very well concealed amongst the grass and coarse stumps in 

 the top of a tussock of cropped sarkana grass ; the nest which 

 was domed with a deep cup was too loosely constructed for 

 removal ; it was composed of dry shreds and blades of coarse 

 grass, with a slight lining of smaller scraps — almost chaff — 

 and a few fine horse hairs. When disturbed the female flutter- 

 ed out and along the ground as if wounded. 

 861. The Indian Skylark — Alauda guhjula, Frankl. 



This skylark was also common on the grassy meadows of the 

 Budhan Nala on my arrival in June ; a few males were still in 

 song but the majority of birds seen were in small parties of 4 or 

 5 which frequented patches of longish grass and lay often very 

 close ; these parties seemed to be chiefly composed of immature 

 birds and were perhaps family parties. 



The male when singing mounts to a great height, almost 

 vertically, with the head to the wind and the wings fanning 

 rapidly ; having attained its pitch it remains there for a long 

 time, keeping roughly in the same place ; it starts to descend in 

 the same fashion as it rose, but when it is some 25 yards and 

 so from the ground the song ceases and the bird falls rapidly 

 with the wings held stiffly open. The song is well sustained but 

 monotornus, and of the usual skylark type ; imitations of the 

 notes of other birds such as Sarcojjramvius indicus and Totanus 

 ochropus are also introduced. 



About August the species seemed to move away from the 

 neighbourhood of the nala and I did not notice it elsewhere. 

 867. The Indus Sandlark — Alaudula adamsi (Hume). 



Is found very abundantly in the bed of the River Sutlej 

 where it breeds. 

 869. The Singing Bush-lark — Mirafra cantillans, Jerd. 



This strange little lark was found to be very common in the 

 neighbourhood of the Budhan Nala in June and July ; it did 

 not frequent the grass meadows along the margin so much as 

 the sandy plains covered with coarse tufts of grass which 

 extend on both sides of the nala. The males soar and sing 

 somewhat after the manner of Alauda gulgula, but do not go so 

 high and once up at their pitch move in wider circles ; the 

 descent is also more precipitate from the start. They are 

 determined mimics and one was heard combining in his song 

 the discontented chattering call of Falco jugger and the shrill 

 call of Coccgstes jacobinus. It is I think this lark which is so 

 often heard singing by night in the darkness. 



The flight of this species is curiously stiff, with the wings 

 jerking rather than beating and appearing not to rise above 

 the level of the back, while the tail is partly spread. 



A strange performance is sometimes indulged in when the male 

 flies backwards and forwards along a beat of some 12 yards 

 and so, keeping at the same height above the ground,and singing 

 a curious little harsh song of some 2 or 3 monotonous notes. 



