CALANDRELLA BRACHYDACTYLA. 393 



[§ 2083. One. — Near Chemora, Algeria, 9 May, 1857. From 

 Mr. Salvin.] 



[§ 2084. r?i.'o.— Ain Beida, 2 May, 1857. From Mr. Tristram.] 



\S 2085. T'/^-o.— Algeria, 7 May, 1857. From Mr. Tristram.] 



[§ 2086. One. — Plain of Roumila, Algeria, 9 May, 1857. 

 From Mr. Simpson.] 



[^ 2087. One. — Djendeli, 19 May, 1857. From Mr. Simpson.] 

 \S 2088. i^/ye.— Blois, 20, 21 Jmie, 1859. "E. N." 



My brother Edward wrote : " On the left bank of the Loire, and about half 

 a mile above the bridge at Blois, is a sandy tract of ground which has 

 probably been the old bed of the river, and across it is a bridge or causeway 

 said to have been built by the Romans. In 1856, when the Loire overflowed 

 its banks and did so much damage to the crops, this place was flooded to a 

 considerable depth, and the soil washed away. Consequently it is at present 

 extremely rough. Here and there are large mounds of sand covered with a 

 coarse grass like the Marram of the Norfolk coast, and in other places are 

 gravel and sand generally running in lines in the direction in which they were 

 carried by the water. All this is surrounded by a high embankment for the 

 purpose of breaking the force of the water should a similar catastrophe occur. 

 The place is used as the Blois race-course, and the running-ground has been 

 levelled. While walking on this ground ou the 20th June, a Short-toed Lark 

 got up from almost under my feet from a tuft of trefoil, and I found there a 

 nest containing five eggs. I visited the nest several times that afternoon, in 

 the hope of catching the old bird, but without success. I took two of the 

 eggs and returned the next day, setting a horse-hair snare over the nest ; but 

 I did not succeed in catching the bird, and so that evening I took up the 

 other three eggs. I had plenty of opportunities of watching the bird, and I 

 have no doubt as to the species ; but it was extremely shy, skulking behind 

 tufts of grass or large stones, and running very fast ; but I had several good 

 looks at it with my glass. I had only once before seen the bird, and that was 

 about one hundred and fifty yards from the spot where I found the nest. 

 After taking the nest I never saw the species again, though I was constantly 

 at the place. The nest is much more securely built than that of either 

 Alauda arvensis or A. arborea, composed outwardly of coarse grass and bents, 

 and lined with thistle-down."] 



