78 FAUNA AND FLORA OF FALESTINE. 



It is a bird essentially of the sandy, not the rocky deserts of North 

 Africa and Western Asia. But unlike most other desert species, it does 

 not range higher than Scinde, not having been noticed in the steppes of 

 Northern Asia. 



It is a most aberrant Lark, both in its striking plumage, and flight, 

 which is that of a Plover, and it seems in some respects a link between 

 the Larks and the curious North Asiatic desert genus of Podoces. 



Desfontaines first described this bird as Upupa alandipcs, and cer- 

 tainly its flight, and the white wings with their conspicuous black bars, 

 would very naturally at first sight suggest a relationship to the Hoopoo. 



149. Alauda cristata. Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 2S8. Crested Lark. 

 Arab., ^.^, Kcnbar {^generic). 



The Crested Lark is the commonest bird of the country in the open 

 ground of the central, coast and northern regions, remaining all the year, 

 but generally a late breeder. The pale form, Galerida abyssinica, Bp., is 

 the form found in the south and in the deserts. But it differs only in 

 colour. 



The Crested Lark extends through Central and Southern Europe, 

 North Africa, and eastward as far as India and China. 



150. Alatida isabcUina. (Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 245.) 

 Isabelline Lark. 



This small and short-billed species inhabits only the sandy desert at 

 the south end of the Dead Sea. Elsewhere it is confined to the most 

 arid parts of the Sahara and Egyptian deserts, and has not been noticed 

 east of Palestine. 



151. Alauda arvensis. Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 287. Sky Lark. 



The true Sky Lark, of the European type, is found in large flocks on 

 the coast-plains through the winter, but does not remain to breed, and 

 never penetrates far inland. Notwithstanding the very able and exhaustive 

 disquisition of my friend, Mr. Dresser (' Birds of Europe,' vol. iv., pp. 310- 

 313), I cannot be persuaded to reject the claims of the next species, 

 {A. cantarclld) to specific rank, chiefly from my observation of the 

 different habits of the two forms. 



