618 M0TACILLIDJ5. 



33. Anthus tenellus. 



Macrouyx tenellus, Cahanis, J.f. O. 1878, pp. 205, 220, pi. 2. fig. 1 ; 

 Fischer, J.f. O. 1879, p. 299; id. ^- Reichen. t. c. p. 355 ; Cab. 

 t. c. p. 438 ; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1881, p. 574. 



Adult. General colour atove dark brown, the feathers edged 

 with pale yellow, imparting a mottled appearance to the back and 

 mantle ; the lower back and rump more uniform olive-yellowish ; 

 upper tail-coverts dark brown, edged with yellow, the lateral ones 

 almost entirely yellow with dusky centres ; wing-coverts with con- 

 cealed black bases to the median and lesser series ; the greater 

 coverts, bastard-wing, and primary-coverts yellow, with more or 

 less black on the outer web, varying in extent ; quills yellow, with 

 black shafts, the primaries black at the ends, increasing in extent 

 towards the outer edge of the wing ; the innermost secondaries 

 brown, margined with ashy brown ; centre tail-feathers blackish 

 brown, edged with yellow ; remainder of the tail yeUow, the two 

 outer feathers entirely so, the others black along the end of the 

 outer webs and at the tip of the inner one, increasing in extent 

 towards the centre of the tail ; head like the back, but streaked 

 with dusky centres to the feathers ; lores and a narrow eyelid bright 

 yellow ; feathers below the eye and cheeks yellow ; ear-coverts 

 brown washed with yellow ; under surface of body yellow, with a 

 black collar across the fore neck ; under wing-coverts, axillaries, 

 and lower surface of quills yellow, the primaries black at their ends: 

 " upper mandible horn-brown, under mandible greyish blue ; feet 

 yellowish grey ; iris brown " (Fischer). Total length 6 inches, 

 culmen 0-55, wing 3-4, tail 2*3, tarsus 1. {Mas. G. E. ISheUey.) 



Young. Browner above than the adult, with sandy-whitish edges 

 to the feathers instead of yellow, the margins to the wing-coverts 

 more conspicuous, the greater series with a tinge of yellow at the 

 end ; bastard-wing and primary-coverts blackish, fringed with olive- 

 yellow ; quills brown, edged with olive-yellow, bright yeUow at the 

 base and along the outer edge of the primaries ; the inner secondaries 

 edged with dull whitish like the back ; tail-feathers dark brown, 

 edged with olive-yellow, the outer feather yellow, excepting a large 

 dark-brown mark on the inner web ; the penultimate feather brown, 

 -Rath a large wedge-shaped mark of pale yellow on the inner web ; 

 head brown like the back, with longitudinal blackish centres to the 

 feathers; a supercihary streak of sandy fulvous ; ear-coverts brown; 

 chin dull white ; remainder of under surface of body sandy isabel- 

 line, washed with yellow on the abdomen and under tail-coverts : 

 throat and fore neck reddish brown ; under wing-coverts, axillaries, 

 and quill-lining bright yellow. {Mas. 0. E. Shelleij.) 

 Hah. Zanzibar district, E. Africa. 



a. Ad. sk. Lamo, E. Africa. Capt. G. E. Shelley [P.]. 



