( 248 ) 



Galerida cnt<tata grou]), and that uo siiecimeu of the G. theklm group is among 

 them. The latter, in fact, has not yet been fonnd in Arabia, nor apparently 

 anywhere farther east than Somali-land. The Arabian specimens closely resemble 

 the long-billed Crested Larks from Somali-land, except that the latter seem to be 

 slightly smaller. These long-billed Galeriiht from Somali-land are very nnlike 

 the thick-billed ones from that country, and I take this opportunity to emphasise 

 the fact that Somali-land — like Southern Spain and most parts of North Africa — 

 is inhabited by two totally distinct species, one of the theldce group, identified in 

 the British Museum and by Erlanger with G. theklm ellioti, and one of the 

 cristatci group. This fact has hitherto been generally lost to science, as most 

 authors on Somali-land birds have not distinguished the different forms of Crested 

 Larks. The birds from South Arabia resemble tlie North Indian forms, but are 

 more of a pale sandy and less greyish tint. Individuals from Afghanistan and 

 Baluchistan are very similar, but seem to be a little smaller. Larger series, with 

 the wings not in moult, must, however, be compared before settling the question of 

 size. At present I refrain from naming the Arabian Crested Lark, although I 

 am sure that it requires a new subspecific name. Science, however, would hardly 

 be benefited in this case by bestowing a new name in a solitary instance ; and I 

 prefer to await an opportunity of fully reviewing the Eastern Crested Larks, before 

 giving new names to such forms as may require them. I must, furthermore, admit 

 that it will require some study to point out the distinctive characters between the 

 pale Southern Spanish and Senegambian, as well as the Greek and Montenegrin 

 races. The form from the Hungarian littoral has been identified by Madarasz {Bull. 

 B. 0. Club, s. p. 99) with setiegalensis, but it is considerably larger, darker, more 

 rufescent, and more distinctly spotted on the under wing-coverts near the margin. 

 It requires a new name, unless one of C. L. Brehm's can be referred to it, a question 

 which it is not easy to settle, as Brehm often mixed up his Crested Larks from various 

 localities, and united very different forms under one name. I am, nevertheless, 

 quite willing to drop my name, chltce, for one of the most distinct forms of long- 

 billed GaleridiV, in favour of Brehm's nigricans. It is true that Brehm united with 

 typical dark birds from the Nile Delta, individuals of a dark shade from Germany, 

 and in his collection there are birds called nigricans from Sandersleben, Gotha, 

 Auma, Ahlsdorf, Dresden, and only one labelled 'Egypt,' the latter being the 

 same as my ' delta^ but his description can apply to the latter form, and he 

 says {Vogel/ang, p. 124) 'Egypt and Thuringia,' and later on {Kaumannia 18.")8, 

 p. 20(3) ' darkest on the black soil of the Nile, and shot in Germany near Dresden, 

 Auma, and Gotha.' Needless to say that the latter have not much to do with the 

 birds from Lower Egypt, but, as I said, one might accept ' nigricans ' for the dark 

 form from the Nile Delta." 



[The Crested Lark is found in lai'ge numbers all over the low deserts 

 especially near Lahej and the neighbouring districts and thence up to the 

 foothills of Jebel Manif and Jimil. In the Abian Country very few were seen. — 

 A. B. P.] 



14. Mirafra cantillans. 



Miidfra simplex Heugl. ; Sharpe, Cat. II. Brit. .1/i/s. xiii. p. 595 (1890). 

 Miriifra ciintiUtinif Blyth, ; Sharpe, Cat. B. IJrit. ,!/«.<. xiii. p. GOo (189(1). 

 Mirafra sp. inc. Barnes, /iis 18U3, p. 84. 



