Expedition to the White Nile. 245 



and the desert began. They are very fond of squatting in 

 the shade of a bush, from which they run at the slightest 

 alarm and suddenly take to flight. Every mature bird we 

 obtained was in full moult. 



Adult. Iris brown; bill horn-colour; legs and feet pale 

 straw-colour. 



8. Pyrrhulauda melanauchen (Cab.). 



Individuals of this species were plentiful. Along the river- 

 bank wherever there was a grassy flat they were generally 

 to be found in small companies. They Avere also common 

 amongst the bushes in the sand, where, like the Crested 

 Larks, they took advantage of the shade of some bush, under 

 which they crouched five or six together. They allowed of a 

 near approach, and then almost invariably took a short flight 

 to the shade of some other bush. In sandy country, even 

 when flying, the female is difficult to see, and is soon lost 

 sight of, but the male with his black breast and almost white 

 back is much more conspicuous. 



Adult. Iris dark brown ; bill bluish white; legs and feet 

 greenish white. 



9. Pyrrhulauda leucotis (Stanl.). 



The young bird, of which we obtained two specimens, is 

 much like the female, but is greyer on the upper parts, 

 showing little rufous colour except on the wing-coverts. 

 The dark centres of the feathers of the back are more marked 

 and the tail-feathers are broadly margined with buff. Tue 

 under parts resemble those of the female. In habits this 

 species seemed to be identical with the last mentioned, with 

 which it associated. It did not, however, appear to be so 

 numerous. We saw several of them in immature plumage. 

 On May 11th we found a nest of this species in a small 

 scooped-out hollow in the caked mud amongst some very 

 short burnt-up grass near the river. The nest, which w^as 

 sheltered by a large lump of mud, was a small shallow " cup " 

 composed of dry grass and two or three bits of cotton. 

 Round the " cup " was a compact and neatly-arranged layer 

 of particles of mud, perhaps made by the bird during the 



