M. Sundevall on the Birds of Calcutta. 259 



sion I heard one singing some notes, and quavering like a lark, 

 but only for a moment. The food consists of insects, such as 

 Acheta, together with rice and other seeds. Both kinds of food 

 were found together in the stomach. In the beginning of May 

 they were seen in pairs ; they had previously been solitary. It 

 seems that the same species is-also found at Ulimaroa, for I have 

 no doubt that it is identical with the species above quoted. 



28. Alauda {A. arvensis, Sonn. Voy. ?). — On the great 



plains about Sucsagor, north from Calcutta, two species of Alauda 

 were decidedly seen, which were analogous to A. arvensis and 

 arborea. One was killed at the first shot, but as I was wearied 

 that evening, and delayed preparing the specimen, I had the 

 misfortune next day to find this, as well as a large portion of my 

 other specimens, destroyed by ants. My intention of shooting 

 another failed, nor did I keep what the ants had left. It was 

 somewhat smaller than A. arvensis, had rather stronger markings 

 on the sides of the head, much as in A. arborea, and a difference 

 of colour in the tail-feathers. [Rectrice extima alba, 2 a intus ob- 

 lique fusca, pogonio externo quoque fusco, relicta plaga magna 

 alba trigona.] The song was (in March) not so lively as our 

 lark's, but more tedious and monotonous, such as we sometimes 

 hear it in August. The feathers were worn into an angular form, 

 and the shape of the beak was as in A. arvensis. The other spe- 

 cies was not obtained. 



29. Alauda gingica, Lath. no. 14. — Petit Alouette grise de Gingi, 

 Sonn. Voy. Fringilla eruciger, Temm.Pl. Col. 269. 1. Duree Finch, 

 Lath. Gen. Hist. vi. 115. Genus Megalotis, Swains. 



Grisea, gastraei vitta longitudinali, lata, in jugulo cruciata, cum 

 superciliis lorisque nigris. Rostrum crassissimum. 



£ 22 Mart. Iris fusco-rufescens. Rectrix lateralis extus oblique 

 albo-dimidiata. Alarum tectrices infericres nigra?. Dorsum obso- 

 letissimae fusco-maculatum. Frons et capitis latera sordide alba. 

 Long. A\ poll ; ala 72 mill., tarsus 17, cauda40. Lingua apice trun- 

 cata, setoso-lacera. 



This elegant little Lark was seen several times in the open 

 fields. In its flight and motions on the ground it completely 

 resembled a lark, not a Fringilla. The specimen described was 

 shot just as it settled on the ground after singing for some mo- 

 ments with expanded wings. Only seeds were found in the 

 stomach. According to Buchanan (in Latham's Gen. Hist.), it 

 lays its eggs in May, and is called Duree in Bengal. Of this 

 and some allied species a separate genus, Megalotis, Sw., has 

 been made, which from its thick beak has been included among 

 the Finches ; but the form of the lower mandible, as well a§ the 

 mode of life, distinguish it sufficiently therefrom, and it is in 

 order the better to draw attention hereto that I have retained 



