130 PET BIRDS OF BENGAL 



species are found to associate together in 

 those parts of the country. 



Of the other Larks mentioned above, 

 Bengal is inhabited by the Aggia known 

 to Europeans as the Bengal Bush-Lark 

 {Mirafra assamica). It is to be met with 

 in the district around Calcutta. It inhabits 

 the north-eastern portions of India and 

 extends through Assam southwards to 

 Bhamo and Arrakan. Jerdon remarks that 

 this bird is rarely met with on the table- 

 land of South India. The Aggin or the 

 Singing Bush-lark {M. cantillans) is locally 

 distributed all over Northern India. It is 

 found in the Punjab, Rajputana, United 

 Provinces, and Behar. Its eastern limits 

 extend up to a longitude six degrees to the 

 west of Calcutta. Stray birds may, how- 

 ever, be obtained in the outlying western 

 districts like Midnapore and Bankura. In 

 the works of older writers like Ball, Blyth, 

 and Oates, we find western Bengal 

 mentioned as its range. But in those days 

 Behar was included in the Bengal Presi- 



