BIEDS OF EGYPT. 135 



dinal brown spots ; beak fleshy brown, inclining to dark brown 

 on the upper inaudible ; legs pale fleshy-brown ; irides hazel. 

 Entire length 7 inches ; culmen 0"6 ; wing, carpus to 

 tip, 3" 5 ; tarsus 1. 



Fig. Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 137. 



Fam. ALAUDID^. 



99. Certhilauda DESERTORUM (Stanley). Bifasciated Lark. 



1 have occasionally, though rarely, met with this bird in 

 Egypt, and always singly ; yet Dr. A. Leith Adams (Ibis, 

 1864, p. 24) says that it is not uncommon in small flocks 

 along the edge of the desert from the Pyramids to Nubia. 

 It is essentially a desert bird, so that it is only upon journeys 

 which take us into those sandy wastes that we are likely to 

 meet with it. It runs with great swiftness, and when flying 

 may easily be recognized by the distinct black and white 

 markings on the wings. 



Upper plumage sandy colour, usually slightly tinted with 

 grey towards the nape ; primaries dark brown, secondaries 

 white, with dark brown blotches about the centre ; tail dark 

 brown, with the two centre feathers approaching to sandy 

 colour, and the exterior web of the outer feathers on each 

 side white ; it has a white eyebrow ; underparts white, tinted 

 occasionally with pale buff on the crop, and more or less 

 spotted with dark brown on the lower part of the throat and 

 crop ; beak horn-brown ; legs pale fleshy-brown ; irides broAvn. 



Entire length 8 inches ; culmen 1 ; wing, carpus to tip, .5 ; 

 tarsus IS. 



Fig. Guuld, B. of Eur. pi. 168. 



