SKY LARK. 165 



at the base of the upper mandible have the tip prolonged and 

 decurved. The feathers on the top of the head are a little 

 elongated, oblong, and decurved. The wings are long and 

 broad, the quills very slightly curved ; the first quill is only 

 five-twelfths of an inch long; the next three are almost equal, 

 the third being generally longest ; the third, fourth, and fifth 

 slightly cut out on the outer w^eb ; the second, third, and 

 fourth on the inner. Excepting the first six and the last three, 

 the quills are deeply emarginate ; the sixth secondary extends 

 to three-fourths of an inch from the tip of the longest primary. 

 The tail is emarginate, and the lateral feathers are a little 

 shorter than the next. 



The bill is dark greyish-brown above and at the point of the 

 lower mandible, yellowish-brown on the edge of the upper 

 mandible, the lower flesh-colour tinged with blue. The inside 

 of the mouth, and the skin at the commissure, are reddish 

 orange. Irides hazel. Feet yellowish-brown, soles oil-green, 

 claws blackish-brown, tip of the hind claw yellowish-grey. 

 The general colour of the upper parts is light reddish-brown, 

 streaked with blackish-brown, the central part of each feather 

 towards the tip being of the latter colour. The quills are cho- 

 colate-brown, the second with the outer web brownish-white, 

 the other primaries edged with the same, the secondaries more 

 broadly with reddish-brown, their tips whitish. The first and 

 second rows of coverts are similar. The tail-feathers are of a 

 darker brown, the middle ones broadly edged with light red- 

 dish-brown ; the outer with its outer web, excepting just at 

 the base, and an oblique portion of the inner web, white, as is 

 the greater part of the outer web of the next, and a slight edging 

 of the third. There is over the eye a pale yellowish-brown 

 streak. The auriculars are tinged with red, and spotted with 

 dusky. The sides and fore part of the neck, with the anterior 

 part of the breast, are light reddish-brown, each feather having 

 a terminal triangular spot of reddish-brown, the upper part of 

 the throat whitish and unspotted. The rest of the lower sur- 

 face is greyish- white, excepting the sides, which are pale red- 

 dish, the feathers having a slight central dusky streak. 



Length to end of tail 7^ inches ; extent of wings 14f ; wing 



