508 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
faint isabelline tinge ; upper wing-coverts sandy isabelline like the 
back, with light whitish margins, mottled also by means of the grey 
bases to the feathers showing; quills greyish, slightly tipped with 
white and margined with sandy colour on the outer web, the 
primaries very narrowly bordered, but the secondaries very broadly, 
the innermost being entirely rufous sand colour, with broad longi- 
tudinal greyish centres, the inner lining of the wing greyish, inclining 
to white near the base of the inner web; tail dark brown tipped 
with white on the inner web, the centre feathers grey, with sandy 
coloured margins and tips, the basal third of the tail-feathers 
isabellme inclining to whitish, and extending farther up the outer 
web of the external feathers. Total length, 4:8 inches; culmen, 
0°65 ; wing, 3°25; tail, 1:8; tarsus, 0°85. 
Adult female-—Similar to the male, but rather smaller in the 
wing. Total length, 4°8 inches; culmen, 0°6 ; wing, 3°05; tail, 1°8; 
tarsus, 0°85. 
Fig. Sharpe, P. Z. S., 1874, pl. Ixxvi., fic. 2. 
507. Sprzocorys conrrosrris (Suid.) Pink-billed Lark. 
This pretty little Lark is one of the smallest known, and belongs 
to the short-billed division of the family, where the culmen is not 
so long as the middle toe and claw. The first primary is rudi- 
mentary, being not so long as the inner toe and claw. The wing 
is rounded, the distance between the tips of the primaries and the 
tips of the secondaries not exceeding the length of the hind claw. 
It was discovered in the Transvaal by the late Professor Wahlberg, 
and was again found in that country by Mr. Ayres in June, 1872, 
who shot a specimen on the flats about two miles from Potchef- 
stroom. 
We have also seen examples from Great Namaqua Land, obtained 
by Mr. Andersson, who has published the following note on the 
species in Damara Land :—“ This Lark is not uncommon in Ondonga; 
before the breeding season they are seen in small flocks, but are 
less observable after they are paired. A pair which I watched 
oceupied about eight days in constructing their nest and in the 
female bird laying her eggs, which I took on the 31st of March, 
after they had been incubated about three days. The nest is 
formed in a hole excavated to the depth of about two and-a-half 
inches and thickly lined with decomposed grasses.’’ 
Pe gee agent 9 ee Ey eee oe 
