MIRAFRA. 333 



869. Mirafra cantillans. The Singing Bush-Lark. 



Mirafra cantillans, Jerd., Blyth, J. A. S. B. xiii, p. 960 (1844) ; id. 

 Cat. p. 134 ; Horsf. fy M. Cat. ii, p. 476; Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 420; 

 Hume, N. Sf E. p. 476 ; id. Cat. no. 757 ; Barnes, Birds Bom. 

 p. 275 ; Sharpe, Cat.B. M. xiii, p. 605; Oates in Hume's N. fy E. 

 2nd ed. ii, p. 227. 



Aghun, Aghin, Hind. ; Burutta pitta, Aghin pitta, Tel. 



Coloration. After the autumn moult the whole upper plumage 

 is dark brown, each feather with rufous lateral margins and a 

 whitish terminal band ; wing-coverts and tertiaries brown margined 

 with rufous ; primary-coverts, primaries, and secondaries with nearly 

 the entire outer web deep rufous or chestnut ; middle pair of tail- 

 feathers brown broadly margined with rufous, the next three pairs 



Fig. 95. — Head of M. cantillans. 



almost entirely brown, the penultimate brown on the inner web, 

 white on the outer, the outermost white with a blackish band on 

 the inner margin of the inner web ; lores and supercilium very pale 

 fulvous ; sides of the head mottled with fulvous and brown ; chin 

 and throat white ; remainder of lower plumage fulvous, the sides 

 of the neck and the whole breast streaked with triangular brown 

 marks. 



Shortly after the autumn moult the whitish terminal bands or 

 fringes of the feathers of the upper plumage become worn away. 



Iris brown ; legs, feet, and lower mandible fleshy ; upper mandi- 

 ble horny brown {Butler). 



Length nearly 6 ; tail 2*1 ; wing 3*2 ; tarsus '75 ; bill from 

 gape - 55. 



Distribution. Locally distributed over a considerable portion of 

 the Indian Peninsula. This species is found in the Punjab, Baj- 

 putana, the North- West Provinces, and Western Bengal, extending 

 south to about the latitude of Madras. It appears to ascend the 

 slopes of the Himalayas in suitable spots, as Stoliczka records it from 

 the Sutlej valley. 



Habits, $c. Breeds from March to August, probably having 

 two broods in the year, and laying four eggs, which are dull white 

 thickly marked with various shades of brown, and measure about 

 •81 by "62. This species is less frequently found amongst bushes 

 than other members of the genus, and it is commonly met with 

 on grass-land about cultivated tracts. It is often kept caged for 

 the sake of its song. 



