524 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA, 
as also the greater part of the inner web of the quills; “ bill 
yellowish brown, shaded on culmen with brownish red; tarsi and 
toes sienna-yellow, brightened with flesh-red; iris light chestnut” 
(Sir A. Smith). 
Total length, 6°5 inches; culmen, 0°6; wing, 3°65; tail, 2°7 ; 
tarsus, 1°]. 
Adult female.—Similar to the male. Total length, 5°5 inches ; 
culmen, 0°6; wing, 3°25; tail, 2°25; tarsus, 0-9. 
The summer plumage is different from the winter dress only in 
being much darker by reason of the absence of light margins to the 
feathers of the upper surface, which is also much more rufous ; 
underneath the chest is washed with rufous, and the black spots are 
more distinct ; the inner lining of the wing is also deeper and more 
leaden grey. 
Fig. Smith, Ill. Zool. 8. Afr. Aves, pl. Ixxxviii, fig. 2. 
514. Mrrarra nazvia (Sérickl.). Dark-lined Lark. 
The present bird and all the remaining African species of Mirafra 
have no rufous base of the quills, the primaries being merely edged 
with rufous, this colour being confined to the outer web. 
Mirafra nevia has the outer tail-feathers black, narrowly margined 
with isabelline, and the inner lining of the wing leaden grey, as also 
the under wing-coverts, the inner webs of the primaries narrowly 
edged with isabelline. It resembles the next species, but has a 
larger and stouter bill. As far as is known, the present species is 
an inhabitant of Damara Land, ranging into the Transvaal and the 
eastern districts of the Cape Colony. Mr. Andersson tells us that it 
is a very common bird about Otjimbinque: it is by no means timid, 
and settles on trees and bushes as well as on the ground. Its food 
consists of seeds and insects. We have also received specimens 
from Griqua Land, in summer plumage, collected by Mr. T. C. 
Atmore. Those obtained by Mr. Andersson in Damara Land were 
in winter plumage, and it probably migrates northward in the cold 
weather. Specimens from Great Namaqua Land (Andersson), are 
also in the British Museum. 
The following note by Mr. Andersson given under the heading of 
M. sabota in his work, also belongs to the present species :— I 
met with this Lark at various places north of the Omaruru River, 
where, although rather local, it is abundant in some localities, and 
wedi 
