i 
500 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
killed near Colesberg, and from Mr. Ortlepp. Eggs sent by the 
latter gentleman are of clear pale cream coloured ground, spotted 
throughout with red, brown, and purple, rather inclining to form 
a ring near the thick end, Axis, 11’’; diam., 8”. The nest 
is a cup-shaped structure of dry grasses placed in a tuft of grass 
on the ground. It feeds on insects and small grass seeds, and 
inhabits flats and mountain slopes—soars frequently. Note, a loud 
but plaintive whistle, something resembling e-i. 
We have received specimens from Mr, T, C, Atmore from Hope- 
town, Griqua Land, and the late Mr. Frank Oates procured a 
specimen in the Transvaal in December, and here also Mr. T. EB. 
Buckley met with it in June, but he fancies it is not very common. 
He only obtained a single specimen, and observed only one or two 
more: his bird was shot on the side of a small hill among some 
stones : its flight was undulating. Mr. Andersson observes :—“‘ These 
Larks are not uncommon in the middle and southern parts of Great 
Namaqua Land: and I have also observed a considerable number 
of them together between Wilson’s Fountain and Tjobis in Damara 
Land. It feeds on insects, seeds, etc.” Mr. Monteiro procured a 
specimen in Benguela. 
The present species may be recognized by the diagnostic characters 
given above, but considerable difference is seen between the summer 
and winter plumages, which were tabulated in a paper on South 
African Larks, published by the Editor, and which are here 
reproduced :— 
Summer plumage. 
Upper surface clear vinous 
brown, with distinct black stripes. 
Hind neck indistinctly ashy 
grey. 
Lower back and rump same 
as rest of upper surface, and 
streaked in the same manner. 
Upper tail-coverts dark brown, 
with rufescent margins, 
Winter plumage. 
Upper surface sandy isabelline, 
with fulvous margins to most of 
the dorsal feathers; head and 
interscapulary region with small 
black shaft-stripes. 
Hind neck decidedly ashy grey, 
contrasting with head. 
Lower back and rump entirely 
uniform isabelline, with no shaft- _ 
streaks. 
Upper tail-coverts light ash 
colour, paler than the tail, and 
margined with whitish. 
