562 Mr. L. B. Mouritz on the 



ploughed lanl in the vicinitj^ The nest was composed of 

 dry grass-blades and was fairly substantial. The eggs were 

 fresh, of a greyish-white freckled all over with brown, and 

 measured 20xl4'5 mm. Another nest, found on the 17th 

 of April, also contained two similar eggs, at an advanced stage 

 of incubation, but measuring 19'5 X 15 mm. The nest, 

 however, was made of coarse dry grass at the bottom and 

 built up with brown vegetable fibre, with a little finer grass 

 in the cup. The male (sitting) bird in this case was also 

 undemonstrative. This Lark does not nest in the thick 

 grass, preferring the barer situations. 



199. Calandrella cinerea. Red-capped Lark. 



Tephrocori/s cinerea (Gmel.); Scl. i. p. 222. 



Sind. "toli.'' 



The Lark in question, which I am almost sure is referable 

 to this species, occurs commonly in flocks during the 

 summer montiis on the surrounding veld, but does not 

 penetrate within the hills. It is to be found in small flocks 

 of about twenty, which frequent the more open lands (more 

 or less free from grass) and are generally to be found in old 

 mealie-lands. This Lark runs fast, and very closely agrees 

 in coloration with the red soil, which it seems to prefer to the 

 black. I have, however, noticed it on freshly ploughed 

 black soil; but it is amongst the stubbles that it is usually 

 to be found : here, owing to the remarkably close assimila- 

 tion of their plumage to the surroundings, they are exceed- 

 ingly difficult to detect until they fly — when one^s attention 

 is immediately drawn by the invariable call. On April 15 

 I met with a very large flock, probably of several thousands, 

 on open ground in the neighbourhood of Ross's Huts, but 

 about a month later the flock appeared to break up, and 

 towards the end of May I noticed the birds pairing and 

 evidently about to nest. These Larks often drink at midday 

 during the hot and close weather. It is rather a pugnacious 

 species, and I have seen individuals darting up and chasing 

 Swallows, when the latter flew by skimming the ground. A 



