256 Mr. R. Swinboe on the Birds 



up on wing, singing as they rise, and continue soaring till almost 

 out of sight. It varies its flight sometimes to undulations, 

 almost after the manner of Pipits. 



Male. Length 6 in., wing Sy^,, tail 2^. 



Female. Length 6 in., wing 3^, tail 2^^. 



Bill pale yellowish horn-colour, blackened on culmen, gonys, 

 and tip. Legs clay colour, with blackish claws. 



12. Alauda leautungensis, n. sp. 



This is a short-bodied, robust Lark, with long crest and absurdly 

 long bill. It had a heavy flight and never attained any height in 

 soaring. Its song abounded in loud, though somewhat sweet, 

 notes. After rising some twenty or thirty feet, while engaged in 

 song, it would suddenly drop downwards, with closed wings, to 

 within a few feet of the earth, and then flutter along with a lark- 

 chirp to some convenient spot to drop upon. The song reminded 

 me of the rambhng chant of A. mongolica, for which species I 

 at first mistook it. 



Male. Length 7 in., wing 4^^, expanse ll-j^. Tail 2y?o, 

 culmen of bill 6^^,, to gape ^, from forehead to end of crest 

 1|. Tarsus fx), mid-toe, claw jV; hind-toe jo, its claw y|. 



Bill pale yellowish horn-colour. Inside of mouth yellow. 

 Iris dark hazel. Ear oval, placed nearly on the same parallel 

 with the eye. Legs and claws pale clay-colour. 



Female. Length 6y^^ ii^v wing S^V- Irides hght brown. Bill 

 and legs very pale flesh-brow^n, the former with a darker culmen. 

 Claws short and pale flesh-colour. 



The long, somewhat curved bill of this species, its crested 

 head and short hind claws draw it very near to the Certhilauda. 



Streak over and round the eye pale ochreous. Crest consist- 

 ing of blackish-brown feathers margined with yellowish brown. 

 Upper parts lark- like, tinged strongly on the rump and across 

 the wings with rust-brown. Axillje, flanks, and greater part of 

 the basal half of each quill strongly washed with rust-colour. 

 Under parts a dingy ochreous white, browner on the pectoral 

 baud, where frequent blackish-brown spots occur, which ex- 

 tend somewhat obscurely up to the lower mandible and towards 

 the eye. 



