ALAUDA. 326 



Alauda leiopus vel orientalis, Hodgs. in Gray's Zool. Misc. p. 84 



(1844, descr. nulla). 

 Alauda dulcivox, Hodgs. in Gray's Zool. Misc. p. 84 (1844, descr. 



nulla) ; Brooks, S. F. i, p. 4«4; id. J. A. S. B. xliii, pt. ii, p. 253 ; 



Hume, Cat. no. 7GG ; Scully, S. F. viii, p. 338 ; id. Ibis, 1881, 



p. 582 ; Biddulph, Ibis, 1881, p. 89. 

 Alauda triborhyncha, Hodgs. upud Horsf. $■ M. Cat. ii, p. 467 (part.) ; 



Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 433 ; Hume fy Henders, Lah. to Yark. p. 208, 



pi. xxviii. 

 Alauda guttata, Brooks, J. A. S. B. xli, pt. ii,p. 85 (1872) ; id. S. F. 



i, p. 485 ; Biddulph, Ibis, 1881, p. 90; Scully, Ibis, 1881, p. 583. 



The Himalayan Sky-Lark, Jerd. 



Coloration. Upper plumage and wing-coverts dark brown, each 

 feather broadly edged with fulvous ; quills brown edged with fulvous, 

 and with a tinge of rufous near the base of some of the quills ; tail 

 brown, edged with fulvous, the penultimate feather with the 

 outer web almost entirely white, the outermost all white, except 

 the base of the inner web ; a pale supercilium from the nostrils to 

 the end of the ear-coverts ; ear-coverts streaked brown and 

 rufous ; lower plumage pale fulvous, the cheeks and throat slightly, 

 the breast boldly, streaked with black ; the sides of the body less 

 distinctly streaked with brown ; remainder of lower plumage very 

 pale fulvous and at times almost white. 



The young have the feathers of the crown much rounded and 

 tipped with white, and most of the feathers of the upper plumage 

 are very rufous and also tipped with white ; the wing-coverts are 

 much more broadly margined with fulvous or rufous. 



Bill dusky above, lower mandible greyish horny, faintly yellowish 

 at the extreme tip ; iris dark brown ; legs and feet brownish fleshy 

 (Scully). 



Size very variable ; length about 7 ; tail 2-5 to 2-9 ; wing 3-7 to 

 4-4 ; tarsus - 95 ; bill from gape -65 ; these represent the extreme 

 measurements of numerous Indian birds. 



The Sky-Lark is as variable in size as the Raven, and the shades 

 of brown, fulvous, and rufous of which its plumage is composed also 

 vary exceedingly throughout its great range. 



Distribution. The whole extent of the Himalayas from Hazara 

 and Kashmir to Assam, where the Sky-Lark appears to be a con- 

 stant resident, moving about to different levels according to season. 

 In the winter many birds appear to visit the plains of the Punjab 

 and North-west Provinces, and a Lark killed by Dr. Anderson near 

 Bhamo in Upper Burma appears referable to this species. 



The Sky-Lark is spread over Europe and the greater portion of 

 Asia as far as China. 



Habits, 4'C Breeds in the Himalayas in May and June, con- 

 structing a nest of fine grass on the ground and laying three to 

 five eggs, which are marked with yellowish and purplish brown 

 and measure about -95 by -67. 



