70 MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 



No. III. Two new Bush-Larks from Siam. 



By E. C. Stuakt Bakeh, f. z. a., f. l. s , m. h. o. u. 



With Note isy W. J. F. Williamson, m. b. o. u. 



[Fn>iM the BuUdin nf the IhHi.-'h Oniithohujists Cliih, No. CCX (10 1 5). 

 ]>[>. iuul 10] 



Ml'. E. C. Stuart Baker exhibited specimens of a new sub- 

 species of Lark, which he proposed to call : — 



MlUAFHA CANTILLAXS WILLIAMSONI, Subsp. nov. 



He made the following remarks : — ■ 



" The subspecies of Lark which I now exhibit 1 projiose to 

 name after Mr. W. J. F. Williamson, who discovered it at Bangkok, 

 Siam, where it is said to be common. It is nearest, not to typical 

 M. citntlUdns from West and Central India, but to M. jihib'pjicnsis from 

 Manilla and the Phili]ipines. 



" From il/. cantilliiiis it differs in being much smaller, with a 

 wing varying between GS and 73 mm. as against 73 to 82 mm. in that 

 bird. The upper surface is verj' much darker and the lower surface 

 also decidedly so. In Mirafra mniUUms cantillans the general tone of 

 the upper plumage is a rufous sandy, the pale edges of the feathers 

 dominating the dark centres ; in M. c. wHli({,nimiu the genyral aspect 

 of the back is dark brown, the edges to the feathers being much nar- 

 rower and grey or grey-brown in tint. 



From i1/. c. ^'/u'/i^ipensis it diU'ers in being rather paler and less 

 black above and in being decidedly' darker and duller in tint below. 

 Eveiy s])ecimen in the series also shows some rufous on the breast and 

 flanks which is never present in M. c. philipiieiisis. and there are also 

 fewer black markings on the breast and lower throat than there are in 

 that bird. 



'■ The types of the new subspecies are : — 

 r^ . 31.3.15. Bangkok. 

 5 . 19.4.15. Bangkok, 

 which Mr. Williamson is presenting to the British Museum, together 

 with others. 



" 1 also exhibit a series of eggs of this subspecies taken b}' Mr. 

 Williamson round about Bangkok. " 



[On page, 197, vol. 1 ( 1915 ) of this Journal, 1 mentioned that 

 I had submitted a number ot specimens of a Bush-Lark, common round 

 Bangkok, to Mr. H. 0. Robinson, c. M. Z. S., M. n. o. (;., for opinion, and 

 that he had advised me, pending the examination of a series at the 

 British Museum, to refrain from assigning to it any delinite s])ecific name. 



Acting on this advice, 1 took a large series to lingland with 

 me last year, and the bird has been accorded new subspecliic rank as 

 above. 



JOUKN. .NAT. HIST. bOC. tiU.M. 



