306 ALAUDID.E. 



fore neck and chest. Adult specimens obtained in June at Campbelltown, have the margins 

 of the feathers on the upper parts rufous, and almost entirely agree with Dr. R. B. Sharpe's 

 description of Mivafra javanica in the " Catalogue of Birds in the British Museum." ' I believe 

 this is also the typical newly moulted plumage of M. horsfiddi. 



Horsfield's Bush Lark frequents open plains, grassy flats and cultivation paddocks. It is 

 usually a solitary species, and when flushed only flies a few yards with a peculiar jerky flight, 

 remaining for a second with quivering wings before suddenly dropping into concealment again, 

 and, as pointed out by Gould, it will frequently allow itself to be almost trodden on before it will 

 rise. I first met with this species at Moonee Ponds and the Keilor Plains, near Melbourne, and 

 during many years" residence there observed it in favourable situations in different parts of that 

 State. At Canterbury and Campbelltown, in New South Wales, I have noted it throughout 

 the year, except during periods of drought. In North-western New South Wales I met with it 

 in November, at East Narrabri and Moree. 



It is one of our most pleasing songsters; especially is it to be heard on bright moonlight 

 nights about midsummer, flying slowly about high in the air, apparently filled with pleasure at 

 the continued sweet and varied notes at its command. 



For the purposes of breeding a cup-shaped hollow is scraped in the ground, and this is 

 thickly fined with dried grasses, the back portion being slightly domed or hooded, protecting the 

 lower part of the structure ; others are more globular in form, with an enlarged entrance level 

 with the ground. An average nest measures internally two inches and a quarter in diameter 

 by two inches and a half in height. Generally it is well concealed in a grass tuft, or built in a 

 growing crop. At Moonee Ponds Mr. H. G. Liscombe first pointed out one to me in the latter 

 situation. It was discovered by watching the old birds carrying food in their bills, and always 

 descending in the same place. On making an examination the nest was found, containing two 

 young ones and an addled egg. Later on several more nests were found in the surrounding 

 grass paddocks, and always by watching the birds. One I found on the 14th January, 1882, 

 was built in rather an unusual situation, it was placed among some grass stalks growing through 

 the thorny brambles of a briar bush, and contained three fresh eggs. 



The eggs are usually three, sometimes four in number for a sitting, oval in form, some 

 specimens being rather pointed at the smaller end, the shell being close-grained, smooth and 

 lustrous. They are of a greyish-white or yellowish-grey ground colour, which is thickly freckled 

 all over with dark grey or greyish-brown ; in some specimens the markings are confluent 

 towards the larger end, and form a more or less distinct zone. Typically the eggs of this species 

 resemble a variety of the eggs of Anthm attstralis, but they are, of course, much smaller. .A. 

 set of three, taken on the 14th January, 1882, measures: — Length (A) 079 x 0-55 inches; 

 (B) 078 X 0-59 inches; (C) 078 x 0-5 inches. A set of four, taken at Canterbury on the 2Sth 

 December, 1893, measures :— Length (A) o-8 x 0-56 inches; (B) o-8i x 0-55 inches; (C) 

 0-8 X 0-54 inches ; (D) 0-82 x 0-49 inches. 



Young birds assume the plumage of the adult shortly after leaving the nest, but the rufous 

 margins of the feathers of the upper parts are narrower, and the tail feathers are remarkably 

 short, being only 0-3 inches in length. Wing i'8 inches. 



Horsfield's Bush Lark is a late breeder. I have found nests with eggs in November, eggs 

 and young in December, and fresh eggs on the 14th January. Dr. Ramsay obtained a nest with 

 three fresh eggs on the 4th February, and there are adults, fledgelings and a nest and young in 

 the Australian Museum collection obtained by Mr. A. M. N. Rose at the end of February. 



• Vol. XIII., p. 602 (1890). 



