26 CERTHILAUDA SEMITORQUATA. 



The Grrey-collared Long-billed Lark inhabits South Africa, 

 south of the Quanza and Limpopo rivers. 



The most northern range recorded for this species is 

 Benguela, from whence there is a specimen in the British 

 Museum obtained by Monteiro, who writes : " Very abundant 

 about Benguela, particularly in bare rocky places. Keeps 

 always on the ground, and is very tame, as it may be passed 

 quite close without its flying away or otherwise showing alarm." 

 Referring to the above remark, Professor Barboza du Bocage 

 observes (Orn. Angola, p. 377) : " We have never received this 

 species from Benguela, nor elsewhere." 



To the south of the Cunene river, the species has not been 

 recorded by Mr. Fleck from German South-west Africa; but 

 according to Andersson : " These Larks are not uncommon in 

 the middle and southern parts of Great Namaqualand : and 

 I have also observed a considerable number of them together, 

 between Wilson's Fountain and Tjobis, in Danaaraland." Chap- 

 man writes : " First observed in Great Namaqualand, where 

 in some localities it is not unfrequent." Sir Andrew Smith, 

 when he described the type of the species, wrote as follows : 

 " Inhabits the eastern province of the colony and the country 

 immediately above the Orange river." Later, when he came to 

 figure the species under the name of Certhilauda subcoronata, he 

 apparently forgot his previous notice of this species and writes : 

 " The few specimens of this species which have come under my 

 observation were procured from the arid Karroo plains of the 

 middle and eastern districts of the Cape Colony." Mr. Layard 

 found the species near Grahamstown and procured others from 

 Traka in the Albert division, and a nest and eggs from Mr. 

 Artlepp. " Eggs sent by the latter gentlemen are of clear, pale, 

 cream coloured ground, spotted throughout with red, brown 

 and purple, rather inclining to form a ring near the thick end. 

 The nest is a cup-shaped structure of dry grasses placed in a 



