44 BIRDS OF EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA 



Calandrblla. 



Bill short, conical ; inner secondaries much lengthened ; 

 claws short ; sexes alike. 



Calandrella brachydactyla brachydactyla (Leisler). 

 Short-toed Lark. Fr. Calandrelle ; Ital. Calandrino. 



c^ ? adult. Above sandy brown, with dark centres, crown 

 very often rufous ; beneath bufify white, a few dark spots on 

 foreneck and a patch on each side of neck dark brown ; inner 

 secondaries very long, almost as long as primaries. Bill dark 

 horn above, pale below. Legs and feet pale brownish. Wing, 

 4th primary shorter than 3rd, $ 88-95, ? 85-94. Tarsus 

 20-21. Bill 10-12. Young are spotted white above. Colour 

 varies greatly according to colour of soil, being most rufous in 

 Europe (Italy to Portugal) and a lighter red in N.W. Africa. 

 In E. Europe the colour is greyer. 



Breeds. — S. Europe, from Portugal and Spain through C. and S. 

 France east to Rumania, Balkan Peninsula, Greece, Mediterranean 

 Islands, S. Russia to Lower Volga, Urals, and Caucasus ; also 

 N.W. Africa and Asia Minor to Persia. Rare in Europe to north 

 of above range. Migratory ; occurs Egypt on passage and Sudan 

 in winter. 



C. brachydactyla hermonensis Tristram. A lighter and 

 more rufous form with less conspicuous black markings, crown 

 always reddish. 



Resident. — Mid Morocco, S. Algeria (Hautes Plateaux to 

 Oued Mya), S. Tunis, Egypt, Palestine. 



O. brachydactyla longipennis (Eversmann). A greyer form 

 without any rufous shade ; eye-stripe whiter. Wing 3-5 m.m. 

 shorter. 



A West Asian race, which migrates S.W., occurring in Egypt, 

 Greece, Algeria, and W. Sahara in winter ; once in Britain. 



Calandrella minor minor (Cabanis). 



^ Lighter and more sandy than " brachydactyla," and 

 without neck patches ; sides of throat, upper breast and sides 

 of breast narrowly streaked; secondaries 15 m.m. shorter than 

 primaries, flanks reddish buff slightly streaked. Bill dull horn, 



