10(^ Mr. J. I. S. Wliitaker on Tanisiun Birds. 



uniform brown shade^ the back in particular presenting a 

 more mottled appearance, owing to the centre of the feathers 

 being darker and the edgings lighter than in A. cristata. 

 The underparts generally are lighter,, and with a decided 

 yellowish tinge instead of brownish. The spots on the throat 

 and chest are more numerous and. more distinct. The crest- 

 feathers are more pointed. The outer tail-feathers are 

 lighter and more rufous, and all the tail-feathers more or 

 less rnfescently fringed at the tips. The ordinary European 

 A. cristata may also occur in the north of Tunis in winter- 

 time, although I myself have not met with it. 



46. Alauda cristata pallida, subsp. nov. 



I met with a pale form of Crested Lark this year in the 

 south of Tunis, which I had not found in my previous 

 journey, when I was under the impression that A. cristata 

 was entirely replaced in the south by A. macrorhyncha. In 

 my late journey, however, I found that this was not quite 

 the case, as A. cristata occurs there in a pale form, although 

 not very plentifully, A. macrorhyncha being always the 

 commonest Crested Lark of the southern districts. 



This pale Crested Lark may perhaps be referred to the 

 sandy-coloured race, which appears to be found in Palestine 

 and Asia Minor (Sharpe, B. M. Cat. B. xiii. p. 621), 

 although I would observe that the South Tunis form does 

 not differ in size from that of the North, and is therefore 

 not A. magna (Hume), which is very similar to, if not 

 identical with, A. macrorhxjncha. 



The Crested Larks, it is generally admitted, are extremely 

 difficult to divide, owing to the various forms running into 

 each other so much. Of those occurring in the Tunisian 

 Regency, A. macrorhyncha may perhaps reasonably be sepa- 

 rated from the others on account of its larger size, and much 

 larger and somewhat differently shaped bill, coupled with 

 the fact of its being found in the same districts as the pale 

 A. cristata, although even here we find individuals differing 

 somewhat among themselves, and a considerable variation 

 between the extreme types. As regards the other Crested 



