210 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



nostrils basal, and concealed by the frontal plumes ; wings 

 long, with the first quill spurious, and the stcond rather 

 shorter than the third or fourth, which are neai-ly equal and 

 longest ; tail moderate, and slightly emarginated ; tarsi mode- 

 rate, longer than the middle toe, and slender ; toes very small, 

 the lateral ones equal, and strongly scutellated above ; the 

 claws short, slightly curved, and the hind claw rather long, 

 and nearly straight. 



420. Pyrrhulauda Leucotis, Stanley; Smith, 



Zool. S. A., PI. 26 ; Loxia Leucotis, Salt. ; Alauda 

 Melanocephala, Licht. ; Fringilla Otoleucus, Temm., 

 PI. Col., 269, f. 2, 8. 



5 — Head, neck, shoulders, breast, and abdomen, black ; 

 ears, half-collar on back of neck, and a blotch on each side of 

 the breast, hinder portion of flanks, and rump, white, the 

 two latter tinged with brown ; back and shoulders chesnut ; 

 tail umber-brown, except the outer feathers, which are rusty- 

 white. The female is dusky-brown, with a speckled breast. 

 Length, 5" ; wing, 3" 3'" ; tail, 2'". 



Inhabits plains thinly covered with dwarf shrubs, near to the Tropic 

 of Capricorn. — Dr. A. Smith, loc. cit. 



421. Pyrrhulauda Verticalis, Smith, Append. 



to Kept, of Exped., p. 48, and Z. S. A., PI. 25. 



Head, neck, and under parts, black-brown ; ears, top of head, 

 nuchal collar, and spot in front of each wing, white ; back 

 grey-brown ; tail slightly forked, the outermost feather of 

 each side brown towards the base of the inner vane, else- 

 where white. Length, 4" 9'" ; wing, 3" 2'" ; tail, 2" 3'". 



"Lives amongst grass, both to the north and south of Kurrichane." 

 — Dr. Smith, loc. cit. 



422. Pyrrhulauda Australis, Smith, Zooi. s. 



A., PI. 24, and Append, to Rept. of Exped,, p. 49 ; P. 

 Melanoso'ina, Swain. 



Bead, above, black-brown ; back ferruginous, dashed with 

 dark-brown, beneath black; quills and tail, black-brown, the 

 two centre-feathers of the latter edged and tipped with light 

 rufous. Length, 5" ; wing, 3" 2'" ; tail, 2" 2'". 



" Inhabits the country along the Orange River, but extends farther 

 south than P. Verticalis. — Dr. A. Smith, loc. cit. 



Dr. Smith states that all the African species are gregarious. This 

 accords with what I have observed respecting the Ceylonese P. GMsea. 



