TEPHROCORYS CINEREA. yl: 
throat spotted with dusky, and having on each side a moustachial 
streak of the same, the breast inclining to sandy brown on the 
sides and obscurely spotted with dusky. 
Mr. Andersson observes that the iris is brown, the legs and bill 
flesh coloured, but the lower mandible paler and more livid than 
the upper. 
Fig. Ayres, Ibis, 1874, pl. iii, fig. 1. 
508. TrpHRocoRys CINEREA (Gm.) Rufous-capped Lark. 
Megalophonus cinereus, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 212. 
The genus Tephrocorys, of which the present species is the only 
representative, is like Spizocorys in general structure, but has the 
bill of different proportions, being as broad as it is high, whereas 
in Spizocorys the bill is higher than it is broad. 
The Red-headed Lark is common throughout the colony, affecting, 
however, some spots in preference to others; for instance, just on 
the top of the little hill before reaching Mowbray, on the high-road 
from Cape Town, a few pairs may always be found dusting them- 
selves; yet a mile on each side the species is not often found. It 
feeds on insects and seeds, builds a nest on the ground by a tuft of 
grass, and lays three to five eggs, of a cream colour, profusely 
speckled with brown and purple: axis, 11’’’; diam., 8’’’. 
At Port Elizabeth it is common, according to Mr. Rickard, who 
also met with it near Hast London, and we have procured it near 
Grahamstown. Mr. T.C. Atmore found it near Eland’s Post, and 
Capt. Trevelyan has forwarded specimens from Kingwilliamstown. 
We have never seen any from the coast line of Natal, but Mr. Ayres 
found a pair near Pietezmantzburg, and Mr. T. H. Buckley shot 
one near the Shire Town in May, and Mr. Frank Oates also procured 
it there. It is to be found in the open country of the Transvaal, 
according to Mr. Ayres, and Mr. Andersson gives the following 
note :—“ This Lark is very abundant in some parts of Damara and 
Great Namaqua Land. I have observed that it uses much gravel 
with its food.” The Damara birds are rather smaller than those 
of the Cape Colony, and have been separated under the name of 
Tephrocorys spleniata (Strickl.), but they seem to us to be merely 
a slightly diminutive race. Professor Bocage has received two 
specimens from Senor Anchieta, one from Benguela, and one from 
Ambaca. 
