ALAUDINiE. 437 



The Lakge Crested Lark. 



Descr. — Paic earthy or sandy brown, rufescent on the feathers 

 of the upper parts, with pale dusky mesial streaks ; the feathers 

 of the crest alone, with dark brown centres; wings somewhat 

 rufescent ; iipper tail-coverts the same, as are the lower surface of 

 the wings and tail ; outermost tail-feather rufescent white, the 

 next with a border of the same on its outer web, the four middle 

 feathers colored like the back, and the rest of the tail blackish ; 

 supercilia and lower parts sullied white, with a few brown 

 streaks on the breast. 



Bill yellowish ; feet pale brown ; irides dark brown. Length 1^ 

 to 7^ inches ; wing 4 to 4^ ; tail 2^ to 2| ; bill at front | ; 

 tarsus 1. 



The crested Lark is widely spread over all the South of Europe, 

 North Africa, and a great part of Asia ; and it is found throughout 

 all India, most abundant in the North and North-west. It is rare 

 in tlie Carnatic, not found in Malabar, more common in the 

 Deccan, and thence spreading from Behar in the East, to Sindh and 

 the Punjab, where very common. It is not known in Bengal, 

 nor in the Himalayas, nor in the countries to the eastwards. 

 It prefers dry open sandy plains, or ploughed land, to grass, 

 wet meadows, or cultivation. It rises in the air singing, tiiough 

 not so high as A. f/ulr/ula, nor is its song so fine. In winter, it 

 may be seen in small parties, or sometimes in considerable flocks, 

 occasionally on roads and barren places. Theobald found the nest 

 and eggs, the former, a little grass, in a hole in the ground, the 

 eo-gs four, yellowish-white, uniformly freckled with greyish-yellow 

 and neutral-tint. It is frequently caged in all parts of the 

 country, and the bird is kept in darkness by several layers of 

 cloth wrapped round the cage ; the custom being to wrap an 

 additional cover round the cage every year. In this state it 

 sings very sweetly, and learns to imitate most exactly the 

 notes of various other birds, and of animals, such as the 

 yelping of a dog, the mewing of a cat, the call of a hen to her 

 chickens, &c., &c. Examples from different parts of the country 

 differ somewhat in the depth of colour, some being lighter 

 than others ; and Mr. Blyth, from a small and caged specimen. 



