AVES. 503 



A small family, on which the former closes by some species of 

 Emheriza, but which differs from them in a remarkable manner in 

 the covering of the tarsi. 



Alauda L. (in part)^ Bill shorter than head, conical or 

 subulate. Nostrils basal, lateral. Wings with first quill spurious 

 or none, third and fourth quills subequal, longest of all. Tail even 

 or emarginate. Toes short. Posterior claw longer than hallux, 

 acute, somewhat straight. 



The larhs. These birds make their nests upon the ground ; the female 

 lays 4 or 5 grey or reddish eggs, commonly with brown spots. They 

 live mostly in society, and sing whilst on wing, mounting perpendicularly 

 upwards. They feed on insects and seeds, and, with the exception of a 

 few species of North America (of the sub-genus Phileremos), all belong to 

 the Eastern hemisphere. 



a) With bill thiclc. (Tarsi somewhat short. Tail short.) 

 Melanocorypha Boie. 



Sp. Alauda calandra L., Buff. PI. enl. 363, fig. 2; Southern Europe and 

 North Africa; — Alauda tatarica Pall. — Alauda clot-bey Temm. Mus. 

 L. B., lerapterMna Cavaignacii Lafeesnaye Ma(/as. et Revue de Zool. 

 1 85 1, PI. i; North Africa. 



Phileremos Bkehm, Otocoris Bonap. 



Sp. Alauda alpestris L., Buff. PI. enl. 650, fig. i. Diet. univ. d'Hisl. nat., 

 Ois. PI. 29, fig. 2. 



b) With bill slender. 

 Alauda anct. 



Sp. Alauda arvensis L., Buff. PI. enl. 363, fig. i, Naumann, Taf. 100, fig. i ; 

 the si' y-larl:, I'alouette, die Feldlerche ; — Alauda cristata L., Buff. Pi. enl. 

 503, fig. I, Lesson Omith. PI. 66, fig. 2 ; Naum. Taf. 99, fig. i, Cuv. 

 R. Ani., ed. ill., Ois. PI. 32, fig. i, &c. 



Alcemon Blas. and Keyseel., {Gerthilauda SwAINS.). Bill 

 long, slender, curved. Wings with first quill short, third, fourth 

 and fifth subequal, longest of all. (Claw of hallux elongate, but 

 less than in Alauda. Tarsi elongate.) 



Si>. Ahemon desertorum, Akmda desertorum Stanley, Alauda bifasciata 

 LiCHTENST., Temm. PI. col. 393 ; Arabia, North Africa, and sometimes 



^ Some species of the genus Alauda of LiNN^us belong to Anthus Bechst. ; 

 Alauda magjia L. is Sturnus ludovicianus. See above p. 493. 



