22 



ALAUDID JE. — CTPSELID^. 



S. Europe and 

 Asia Minor, 

 wintering in 

 Africa and 

 India. 



Asiatic Eussia, 

 wintering in 

 S.E. Eussia, 

 Turkey, and 

 Asia Minor. 



125. SnoRT-TOED Lark. Alaucla hrachydadyla, Leisler. Rare 

 straggler on migration : as yet only to England. 



Below buffish white ; no spots on underparts ; but sometimes a streak 

 or two and brownish patch on each side of upper breast. Outer tail- 

 feathers buffish white, except the brown basal half of inner web ; the 

 next feather has outer web with buffish white edging. Front claws very 

 short and curved ; hind claw straight and rather elongated 

 inches. 



Length 5| 



126. Whitb-winoed Lark. Alauda sihirica, J. F. Gmelin. One 

 record : Sussex, 1869. 



Bill short and stout, arched above. Head rufous ; secondaries white, 

 brown at the base : outer tail-feathers white. Length 7 inches. 



Arctic and snb- 

 Arctic regions, 

 wintering 

 soutli. 



127. Shore-Lark. Ofoeorys alpestris (Linnaeus). Of irregular 

 appearance in autumn and winter on sea-coast. Sometimes in large 

 numbers on the E. coast of Great Britain ; not yet recorded from Ireland. 



Hind claw long and nearly straight. 



Adult male. Tuft of long erectile black feathers on each side of head 

 above eye ; front of crown, patch from bill to below eye, and lower 

 throat black ; forehead, eye-stripe, chin, and throat yellowish white; 

 tail black, except two centre feathers, which are brown, and the two 

 outer feathers margined on outer web with white. Length 7 inches. 



Female. Less black on crown. 



Female and young male have no black ear-tuft, and young females no 

 yellow on forehead. 



In luinter. Black parts are not so distinct, and there is more yelloiv on 

 light parts of head and neck. 



C. & S. Europe, 

 Asia Minor, 

 and India, 

 wintering in 

 Ceylon and 

 S. Africa. 



E. Asia, 

 wintering as 

 far soutli as 

 Australian 

 region. 



Order PICAEI^. Family CYPSELID^. 

 Tail of ten feathers. 



128. Swift. Cypselus apus (Linnaeus). Spring to autumn. 



General colour blackish brown, except small whitish chin-patch ; four 

 toes all directed forwards. Length 7| inches. 



120. Alpi-ne SwirT. Cypselus melha (Linnaeus). Migratory visitor. 



Above greyish brown ; chin and belly white, with band of greyish 

 brown across upper breast ; toes as in last. Length 8| inches. 



■130. Spine-tailed Swift. AcanthylUs caudacuta (Latham). Two 

 records, both in July : Essex, 1846 ; Hants, 1879. 



Head glossy green ; forehead and throat white ; spiny shaft on each 

 tail-feather protruding beyond the web ; rump and back brown ; centre 

 of back dirty white. Three toes in front and one behind. Length 8| 

 inches. 



