410 Mr. T. Ayres on the Ornithology of Transvaal. 



Megalophonus cinereus (Vieill.). Lesser Rufous-capped 

 Lark. 



Male, shot Januury 2nd. 



Female, shot July 16th ; both near Potchefstroom. 



These Larks are easily distinguished when in the field by 

 the chirruping note they utter on rising. 



Alauda conirostriSj Sundev. Pink-billed Lark. 



Male. Irides hazel ; bill pale ashy, with the ridge very 

 light brown ; tarsi and feet pale flesh-eolour. Total length 

 5f inches, bill from gape y^, tarsus |, wing |, tail 1|. 



The bird sent was one of a pair, and was shot on 14th 

 November on the open flats just outside the town of Potchef- 

 stroom. Its stomach contained insects. 



[An unusually pale specimen of this scarce little Lark, the 

 feathers on the under surface, and the broad margins on those 

 of the upper, being a pale drab, instead of the usual dark 

 rufous brown, and the normal pink tint being absent from 

 the bill. The bird is commencing its moult ; and some new 

 feathers on the upper surface exhibit rather darker margins 

 than the old ones, though less deeply coloured than in previous 

 specimens which have come under my notice. — J. H. G.]. 



CoTURNix DACTYLisoNANS (Bodd.). Europcau Quail. 



[Mr. Ayres forwards three adult specimens, killed re- 

 spectively on 28th March and on 16th and 17th July. The 

 first of these, a male, has the rufous portions of the plumage 

 of a richer tint than I ever remember to have seen in a bird 

 of this species. — J. H. G.] 



EuDROMiAs ASiATicus (Pall.). Caspian Dotterel. 



Male, shot 19th September. Stomach contained beetles and 

 other insects. These Plovers make their ajjpearance in these 

 parts at this season about the time when the first heavy rains 

 fall, and are pretty plentifully scattered along the valley of 

 the INIooi river, frequenting the bare grass-lands, which at 

 this time of year are all but devoid of herbage, in flocks of 

 from six to twenty or more. On rising they have much the 

 appearance of G/areoIa melanoptera, and utter much the same 

 short stridulous note of alarm ; they run with considerable 

 swiftness. 



