424 BIRDS OP^ INDIA. 



This genus of small Larks was formerly classed among the 

 Finches by some naturalists. With much of the structure of the true 

 Larks, it dilFers remarkably by its short stout bill ; and the sexes 

 differ in colour, the males having some large patches of black on 

 their under parts. 



760. Pyrrhulauda grisea, Scopoli. 



Alauda, apud ScopoLi— Blytii, Cat. 748— HoRSF., Cat. 724— 

 P. crucigera, Temm. PI. Col. 269-1— Stkes, Cat. 108— Jerdon, 

 Cat. 194 — Alauda gingica, GaiEL. — Diyora, H. Duri, H. of some, 

 commonly called Dabhak churi, i. e., Squat Sparrow — Jothauli, of 

 Hindu bird-dealers (Buch. Ham.) — Chat-bharai, and Dhula chata, 

 Ben Of. — Potl-pichihe or Piyada picldke, Tel., i. e., Short Sparrow 

 or Ground Sparrow. Ortolan of some Europeans in the south 

 of India. 



The Black-bellied Finch-lark. 



Descr. — Male, above pale brownish grey, the feathers slightly 

 centred darker, somewhat rufescent on the back ; forehead and 

 cheeks whitish; wings and tail brown, the feathers all pale edged; and 

 a deep brown or black band from the base of bill through the eyes, 

 continued to the occiput ; chin and throat, sides of neck (extending 

 at right angles behind the ear-coverts, and thus taking the form 

 of a cross, whence Temminck's specific name), breast, and lower 

 parts deep chocolate brown or black ; sides of breast, of abdomen, 

 and the flanks, whitish, bordering the dark colour. 



Bill pale; legs fleshy ; irides dark brown. Length about 5 

 inches ; extent 10 ; wing 3 ; tail nearly 2 ; bill at front not f . 



The female wants the black on the lower parts, the plumage 

 is darker, and more rufescent above ; the breast faintly streaked 

 with brown, and earthy on the flanks, sides of breast, and neck. 

 She is a smaller bird, measuring about 4 J inches 



This curious little bird is common throughout all India, from 

 Ceylon to the foot of the Himalayas, except on the Malabar 

 Coast, and it does not ascend the Himalayas at all. It is 

 especially abundant in Western India, in Sindh, and the Pun- 

 jab, and extends thence to Arabia. It frequents the open 

 plains, and ploughed or fallow lields, and prefers the barest spots, 



