220 ALAUDID^. 



gular zone about, the large end, and in and about this zone are 

 generally faint underlying clouds of very pale sepia or inky grey. 

 In some eggs the markings are sparse and comparatively bold, in 

 others very numerous and speckly and streaky in their character. 



Two eggs measured 1"05 and 1 in length by 0*70 and 0-72 respec- 

 tively in breadth*. 



Otocorys elwesi, Blanf. Elwess Homed LarTc. 



Otocoris penicillata {Gould), Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 429. 

 Otocorys penicillata {Gould), Hume, Cat. no. 763. 



Mr. Mandelli sent me eggs obtained from a nest on the ground 

 on the borders of Thibet and Native 8ikhim, which he considered 

 to belong to this species. 



They are typical Lark's egss, with a white or greyish-white 

 ground, minutely freckled and mottled all over with a pale olive- 

 brown, more or less intermingled with dull purplish grey. The 

 eggs are somewhat elongated ovals, exhibit a slight gloss, and 

 measure 0*88 and 0-9 by 0-G4 and 0-()5. 



Alauda arvensis, Linn, The Sl-y-Larh. 



Alauda triborhyncha, Hodys., Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 433. 

 Alauda arvensis, Linn., Hume, Roiujh Draft N. ^- E. no. 766. 



This, though certainly not A. triborliynclia, Hodgson, is the 

 larger Sky-Lark which Dr. Jerdon describes under this latter name, 

 and which, if distinct fi'ora the European bird, should stand as 

 A. liopus, Hodgson. Mr. Brooks considers that it is specifically 

 distinct ; I do not. I therefore call it A. arvensis : he retains 

 Hodgson's name. It makes very little difference, as with this ex- 

 planation everybody will understand which bird I refer to. 



The Sky-Lark (he would call it the " Larger Indian Sky-Lark ") 

 breeds, / believe., pretty well all thi*ough the Himalayas, at eleva- 

 tions of from 8000 to 10,000 feet, although I only hiow of its 

 nests having been found in Kooloo and Cashmere. 



In India as in England the oft-quoted lines subjoined well 

 describe alike the nest and its situation : — 



" He loves, where tufls of grass 

 Luxuriant crown the ridge ; there, with his mate, 

 He founds their lowly house of withered bents 

 And coarsest spear-grass ; next, the inner work 

 With finer aud still finer fibres lays, 

 RoLiuding it curious with his speckled breast." 



The only five nests of which I have records were found in May 



* Mr Hume appears to hare examined numerous egg;* of this species. 

 Auioiifist his notes, however, lean find measurements of only two eggs. Tliese 

 were taken at Jas^k, in the Persian Gulf, on tlic l.'')th April, 1878. I cannot dis- 

 cover, however, nny note regarding tiio finding of these or any other eggs. -Ed. 



