Ornithology of the Cape Verde Islands. 283 



coloration and dimensions those of the Wood-Lark (Alauda 

 arhorea), from which, if they were to be mixed up, there 

 would be great difficulty in picking them out again. 



Pyrrhulauda nigriceps. 



Breeding commences at the beginning of October. Flat 

 stone-covered places near the sea are the favourite resorts, 

 the birds breeding together in large societies. The nests are 

 extremely difficult to discover. If you stand still, the male 

 birds will now and again proclaim their presence by rising 

 up from the ground and indulging in their jerky little songs; 

 but to passers-by they never betray themselves, sitting 

 close the whole time, and creeping very often under some 

 large stone. There is little variation in the song, which 

 might be expressed by the words " All alive, ho ! '' constantly 

 repeated. While on Boa Vista we were fortunate enough to 

 frighten a male off his nest, containing two eggs, which were 

 well incubated. The nest, composed of a little dead grass, 

 was placed underneath a large stone. The eggs are a dirty 

 white in ground-colour, evenly spotted and blotched all over 

 with light brown, and with minute underlying spots of 

 purplish grey; they measure 0"'8x0"*59. 



Cypselus unicolor. 



Breeds in holes in the precipitous sides of hills. On 

 Nov. 13th, on Sao Nicolau, we found a nest containing two 

 eggs. Ground-colour white, minutely freckled with reddish 

 brown, chiefly at the larger end, where a faint zone is formed. 

 Measurements 0"-87 x 0"'64 



COTURNIX CAPENSIS. 



It was a disappointment not to have met with a typical 

 example of the Red-throated Quail. It certainly does occur 

 on the islands, since we obtained specimens of the inter- 

 mediate form, which was breeding in November at altitudes 

 of over 4000 feet on Sao Nicolau. On the low lands of 

 Maio, which are overgrown with a thick high weed. Quail 

 got up in dozens at our feet, but they were chiefly migratory 

 birds. 



