FRINGILLID^. 213 



wings, lively red ; base of primaries red ; tail-feathers fuscus, 

 the outer ones, with the external web, white. Length, 6" 6"' , 

 wing, 3" 6'" ; tail, 2" 3'". 



Pound by Mr. Ayres at Natal, running with great swiftness amongst 

 the grass. Mr. Arnot has also sent a single specimen, killed near 

 Gricjiiatown. 



428. Megalophonus Africanus; Mirafm 



Africana, Sm. ; Z. S. A., PI. 88, f. 1 ; Megalophonus 

 Planicola, Licht. 

 Upper surface of head, streaked brown and reddish-orange ; 

 back and sides of neck brown, the edges of the feathers beiug 

 reddish-orange or sienna-yellow ; back brown, the feathers 

 edged with rusty-white or grey ; chin and fore part of thror '" 

 white ; middle of throat and sides of neck white, mottled 

 with triangular brown spots ; breast, anteriorly, sienna-yel- 

 low : posteriorly, light reddish -orange, marked with narrow 

 brown stripes, expanding into angular spots ; belly yellowish ; 

 wing-feathers towards the base, reddish-orange, towards 

 points, brown ; tail brown, outer webs of two lateral feathers 

 on each side, cream-yellow ; eyebrows sienna-yellow. Length, 

 7" 6'" ; wing, 3" 9'" ; tail, 2" 4'". 



Dr. Smith states, loc. cit., that this bird is confined to the Eastern 

 districts, frequenting the grassy plains between Algoa Bay and Gra- 

 ham's Town. Generally seen in pairs, and feeds on insects and seeds. 

 A single specimen of this lark was forwarded to the Museum by the 

 late Mr. E. Mofiat, from Kuruman. 



429. Megalophonus Sabota; Mirafra Sabota, 



Smith, Z. S. A, PI. 89, f. 1. 



Feathers of the upper surface of the head, of the back and 

 sides of the neck towards the body, of the back, and rump, 

 umber-brown, broadly edged with clear reddish- orange, fading 

 at their margins into rusty- white ; chin, throat, breast, and 

 belly, rusty-white, the former, and the flanks, tinted more or 

 less strongly with reddish-orange, and the breast and lower 

 part of ihe throat mottled with umber-brown stripes ; wings 

 reddish-brown, narrowly edged with light-brown ; two middlu 

 tail-feathers reddish- brown, tipped and edged with rusty- 

 orange, the rest umber-brown, edged with wood-brown ; eyc" 

 brows and under eyelids, pale cream- yellow ; ear-coverts, dull 

 reddish- orange. Length, 6" 1'" ; wing, 3" 3'" ; tail, 2" 3'". 



Pound on the arid plains north of Latakoo. Perched frequently on 

 low shrubs. — Dr. A. Smith, loc. cit. 



