46 Mr. Blyth's Commentary 



Melanocorypha tatarica (Pallas) ; and 



M. TORQUATA, nobis, J. A. S. B. xiii. p. 962, xv. p. 476. 

 This is not Alauda bimaculata, Menetries, which can be only 

 doubtfully separated from Calandrella hrachydactyla (L.). M. 

 torquata resembles M. calandra, but is smaller, with proportion- 

 ally shorter tail, having much less white on its outermost fea- 

 thers. A specimen lately received from Dr. Jerdon has barely a 

 trace of the usual great black mark on each side of the breast, 

 which is sometimes very large, extending across to meet its oppo- 

 site in front, as in the example from which I bestowed the 

 name upon the species. In a letter from Hansi, Dr. Jerdon 

 writes, " I have obtained this species. It is not abundant here, 

 but is said to be more common further west and south. The 

 Asiatic sipecies of Melanocorypha are four in number: — 1. M, 

 tatarica (Pallas). 2. M. mongolica (Pallas); Radde, Reisen, &c. 

 taf. iii. f. 1 ; Alauda sinensis, Waterhouse, P. Z. S. 1839, p. 60. 

 3. M. calandra (L.) ; Alauda torquata, Gmelin. 4. M. tor- 

 quata, nobis. The Alauda sibirica, Pallas, is a large typical 

 species of Calandrella*. 



761. ALAUDULAf RAYTAL. 



This cannot be the Calandrella pispoletta (Pallas) of Mr. 

 Swinhoe (P. Z. S. 1863, p. 271), described as having a more 

 conical bill and larger tail than the European C. hrachydac- 

 tyla. Again, the " Raytal " of Mr. Hodgson^s drawings would 

 seem diiferent — the structure being similar, but the colour- 

 ing much more as in Alauda arvensis. A. raytal is noted by 

 Dr. A. Leith Adams as " common in the wastes of Ladakh " 

 (P. Z. S. 1859, p. 185) . But his " Sand-Lark " (P. Z. S. 1858, 

 p. 485) remains to be identified. " Abundant on the banks of 

 the Indus and Northern Scinde. Size of the Grey Linnet. 

 Colour a sandy brown ; bill short and nearly conical ; hind 

 claw long and curved ; tail moderate and slightly forked, the 

 upper feathers of which are black,^^ but otherwise similarly 

 marked to Galerita cristata. I think that such a bird is figured 

 in one of Dr. Buchanan Hamilton's drawings, now with the 



* Mr. Gould has received from Afghanistan a large species, with a re- 

 markably slender bill, which he designates Melanocorypha maxima. 

 t Not Alaudakt, as in Horsfield's Catalogue, and copied by Dr. Jerdon. 



