AVES. Si 



158. Calandi'dla minor. Cab. Mus. Hein. i., p. 123. Lesser Short- 

 toed Lark. 



This, the smallest of the Larks of the country, is a strictly desert bird, 

 less gregarious than most of its congeners, sedentary throughout the year 

 in the few localities where it is found. It seems especially to affect salt 

 plains and hard, not soft, soils. 



The Lesser Short-toed Lark has been found only in the desert south 

 of the Atlas, in those of Egypt, Nubia, and Arabia. Further east its 

 place is taken by C. pispoletta. 



159. Melanocorypha calandra. (Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 2S8.) 

 Calandra Lark. 



The Calandra Lark is extremely common in spring all over the 

 cultivated open ground, whether on the plains or the hills, where it breeds 

 abundantly. In winter it congregates in large flocks on the maritime plains. 



The Calandra seems to be confined to the countries bordering on the 

 Mediterranean ; but in Egypt it is only accidental. 



160. Melanocor-yphci bimaadaia. (Menetr. Cat. Rais., p. 37.) 

 Eastern Calandra Lark. 



The Eastern Calandra breeds abundantly on the higher slopes of 

 Lebanon and Hermon. I did not at first, until Mr. Dresser directed my 

 attention to the fact, detect the differences between this and the Common 

 Calandra, which prove that we have here, in close proximity to the other 

 species, the Oriental Mountain Calandra. It may be distinguished from 

 the other by its shorter tail, and by having all the rectrices tipped with 

 white, while the European species has the outer rectrix almost all white 

 and this colour diminishing- towards the centre of the tail. 



The Eastern Calandra inhabits Abyssinia, the Caucasus, Central Asia, 

 and North-west India. 



161. Otocoi-ys penicillala. Gould. P. Z. S., 1837, p. 126. Eastern 

 Horned Lark. 



The Eastern Horned Lark is confined to the heights of Lebanon and 

 Hermon, where it is very numerous, descending in winter to the villages 

 at the foot of the range, but not migrating further. I have always found 



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