filO ALAUDID.E. 



19. Mirafra africanoides. 



Mirafra africanoides, SmifJi, Jiep. E.iped. C. Afr. p. 47 (183C)) ; id. 

 Ill Zool. S. Afr., Aves,^\. 88. tig. 2 (1843) ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1874, 

 p. 648 ; id. ed. Layard's B. 8. Afr. p. 523 ( 1884). 



Megalophonus africanoides. Gray, Gen. B. ii. p. 382 (1844) ; Bp. 

 Vonsp. i. p. 244 (1850) ; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 214 (1867) ; Gray, 

 Hand-1. B. ii. p. 122, no. 7816 (1870); Gurney, in Anderss. B. 

 Dam. Ld. p. 198 (1872). 



Alauda africanoides, Sharpe, Cat. Afr. B. p. 71 (1871). 



Adult (type of species). Above sandy rufous, with narrow black 

 shaft-stripes to the whole of the upper surface, the neck very 

 slightly inclining to greyish ; wing-coverts dark brown, with narrow 

 blackish shaft-stripes, margined with sandy rufous, inclining to 

 fulvous on the extreme edge of the feathers ; primary-coverts dark 

 brown, with broad margins of sandy rufous ; quills ashy brown, 

 rufous on the outer web and very conspicuoiis, the inner web also 

 jufous, but separated for the entire length of the quill by the dark 

 brown of the shaft ; the secondaries ashy bi'own, especiallj' the inner- 

 most, which are distinctly shaded with grey, all margined with 

 sandy buff ; upper tail-coverts pale ashy brown, broadly washed 

 with whity brown ; tail dark brown, the centre feathers washed 

 with clear grey and broadly margined with sandy rufous, the others 

 narrowly and almost imperceptibly edged with pale sandy, the 

 outermost narrowly bordered with whitish for the whole length of 

 the outer web ; lores and feathers round the eye whitish, as well as 

 a distinct eyebrow ; feathers in front of the eye dusky ; ear-coverts 

 bright sandy rufous ; cheeks, throat, and underparts generally 

 whitish, washed with sandy isabelline on the chest, the cheeks with 

 a few indistinct spots, the chest sparsely marked with triangular 

 spots of dusky black ; iinder wing-coverts entirely rufous, as also 

 the greater part of the inner web of the quills : " bill yellowish 

 brown, shaded on the culmcn with brownish red ; tarsi and toes 

 sienna-yellow, brightened with flesh-red ; iris light chestnut " {Sir 

 A. Smith). Total length 6-5 inches, culmen 0-6, wing 3-G5, tail 2-7, 

 tarsus I'l. 



Adult female. Similar to the male in colour. Total length 5*7 

 inches, culmen 0-55, wing 3'45, tail 2-5, tarsus 0'9. 



Hub. Soath Africa, from the Orange River to the Zambesi on the 

 east, and to Damara-Land on the west. 



«, b, c. Ad. sk. Orange Eiver district. Sir A. Smith [C.]. 



(Types of species.) 



Orange Eiver (A. Smith). Purchased. 



Orange Eiver, July 30. Dr. Bradsbaw [P.]. 



Griqualand (7'. C. Atmore). Sharpe Coll. 



Hope Town ( T. C. A.). Sharpe Coll. 



i, k, I, m. S ad. sk. Damara Land, June to Sept. Sharpe CoU. 



( C. J. Anderssoii). 



n. Ad. sk. Ondonga, Ovanipo-Land, June Sharpe Coll. 



{C.J. A.). 



0. Ad.sk. IMakalaka country (/)'r«f/.s7(«(r). Shellev Cidl. 



