BIRDS OF EGYPT. 143 



109. Melanocorypha calandra (Linn.). Calandra Lark. 



The Calandra Lark occasionally passes the winter months 

 in Lower Egypt ; but its appearance is of uncertain occurrence, 

 and its numbers Umited. Riippell mentions it as a plentiful 

 winter visitor to Egypt and Nubia ; but as I can find no 

 evidence of its capture above Cairo, I am inclined to consider 

 its range on the Nile to be limited to Lower Egypt. 



It must be observed that the Calandra Lark of Egypt may, 

 after all, not be the true M. calandra (Linn.) ; for Messrs. 

 Sharpe and Dresser (B. of Eur. part viii.) have shown that an 

 allied species, M. bimaculata (Menetr.), is the Calandra of 

 Abyssinia ; and as this bird extends through Palestine and 

 South-Eastern Europe to North-Western India, it is quite 

 possible that it passes through Egypt on its migration. In 

 the work above mentioned a good figure will be seen of this 

 bird, which diff'ers from the ordinary Calandra in having no 

 white on the wings, but has white spots on the end of the 

 tail-feathers, instead of the outer feathers being for the most 

 part white. 



Upper plumage similar to that of the Sky-Lark ; primaries 

 edged with white, secondaries tipped with that colour ; outer 

 feathers of the tail pure white, second feather edged and 

 tipped with white ; underparts white, with a very distinct 

 black patch on each side of the upper part of the chest ; crop 

 spotted with brown on the tips of the feathers ; flanks shaded 

 with brown ; beak pale yellowish-brown, darker above ; legs 

 pale brown ; irides brown. 



Entire length 7"2 inches ; culmen 0'7 ; wing, carpus to tip, 

 5'2 ; tarsus r2. 



Fig. Sharpe and Dresser, B. of Eur. part v. 



