ALAUDIDAE AND MOTACILLIDAE. 



oologically as well, with the genus Anthus, a relationship which is 

 not immediately suspected upon making a superficial examination. 



Respecting the character of the markings of the various types of 

 egg of Anthus trivialis the following observations are supplementary 

 to the class of particulars given in the short descriptive text facing 

 the plates. 



From the point of view in question I classify three types, viz: 



1. with fine cloudy speckles, varying in extent down to little 

 streaks such as occur on Motacilla alba-eggs. 



2. more thickly mottled with coarser cloudy markings, showing 

 much resemblance to one of the types of Alauda arvensis. 



3. with larger spots, including blotches with blurred edges such 

 as occur, e.g., on Emberiza schoeniclus-eggs. 



Yarrell says: „What may perhaps be regarded as the normal 

 „type is a ground colour of french-white so closely mottled or 

 ^speckled with deep brown as almost to hide the ground", by 

 which he undoubtedly indicates the type referred to sub 2. 



If by the word ,, normal", used in this quotation is meant: the 

 average character, corresponding most to the oological character, 

 of the genus Anthus and of nearly allied genera — in my opinion 

 the only conception of importance in this case — Yarrell's view 

 would appear to me to be correct, especially on the ground of 

 the character of the eggs, which have since become known, of 

 i4/2//z«s-species distributed throughout the whole world. Less exclu- 

 sively, however, than Yarrell does, I would not only indicate 

 „deep brown", but also brown and grey in various shades (like 

 those of Alauda arvensis), as the colours of the markings of the 

 most original type. 



