MIRAFRA HOVA. 61 



broad buif edges to the coverts and inner secondaries ; outer secondaries 

 and the primaries, with the exception of the two outer feathers, have broad 

 cinnamon margins extending entirely across the outer webs of the primaries ; 

 two outer primaries, hke the primary coverts, are only narrowly edged with 

 rufous buff. Under wing-coverts and a large portion of the inner webs of 

 the quills cinnamon, which colour does not entirely cross the inner webs, 

 and is scarcely visible on the bastard-primary. Tail brownish black, with 

 broad, pale rufous outer edges to the centre pair of feathers ; white on tail 

 confined to a rather narrow outer and terminal edge of the outer feather. 

 Ear-coverts chestnut brown ; a band of black in front of the eye ; a broad 

 eyebrow ; cheeks, throat, and upper half of the sides of the neck white ; 

 breast, thighs and under tail-coverts pale buff with a rufous shade on the 

 crop and flanks ; lower throat with a few angular dusky brown shaft spots 

 on the crop, which is separated from the sides of the neck by a fairly 

 distinct dusky black patch. " Iris brown ; bill dark, with most of the lower 

 mandible pale ; tarsi and feet pale brown." Total length 6'2 inches, culmen 

 0-55, wing 3-7, tail 2-4, tarsus 0-9. <? , 9. 11. 99. Athi (Delamere). 



The Loeru Lark inhabits the Masai and Somali districts. 



The type of the species was discovered by Fischer at Loeru 

 and specimens have been collected by Dr. Ansorge at the 

 Kiboro river in April and November ; by Mr. Oscar Neumann 

 at Ngaruka in December, as well as by Lord Delamere at the 

 Athi river in November, and at Likepia in January. To the 

 eastward in Somali it appears to be plentiful, for althougli 

 Mr. Elliot writes : " "We only met with this species at 

 Dagalibar in Ogaden, about twenty miles south of Hand," 

 Mr. Hawker was more fortunate, for from November to 

 January he collected six specimens from Arabseyo, Ujawaji 

 and Jifa Medir. In Southern Abyssinia Mr. A. E. Pease has 

 procured a specimen at Melkadegaga (8° 20' N. lat., 39° 20' E. 

 long.), where he found the Larks inhabiting thin bush in the 

 open country between the Hawash river and the hills. 



Mirafra hova. 



Mirafra hova, Hartl. J. f. 0. I860, p. 106 Madagascar; Sharpe, Cat. 



B. M. xiii. p. 601 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 200 (1896) ; 



Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers. p. 134 (1899) egg. 

 Alauda hova, Sibree, Ibis, 1891, p. 442. 



