AMMOMANES ERYTHROCHLAMYS. 95 



This species is known to me only by the type, which was 

 discovered by Sir Andrew Smith, who writes : " The extensive 

 arid plains immediately to the southward of the Orange river, 

 commonly called Bushman Flats, form the favourite habitat 

 of this Lark. It is a wild bird, manifesting considerable 

 suspicion at the appearance of man, and except in the morning 

 rarely permits him to approach so near as to enable him to 

 shoot. It soars very frequently, particularly in the early part 

 of the day, and about sunrise whistles delightfully, being, 

 while so occupied, generally perched upon the summit of the 

 highest bush which exists in the locality." 



The egg, according to Mr. A. Nehrkorn, resembles that 

 of Galerita cristata, but is paler and measures 0'88 x 0'66. 



Ammomaiies erythroclilarays. 



Alauda erythrochlamys, Strickl. Contr. Orn. 1852, p. 151 Damara. 

 Ammomanes erythrochlamys, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii. p. 648 (1890) 



Damara: Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 227 (1896); Stark, Faun. S. Afr. 



B. i. p. 199 (1900). 



Adult. Above bright pale cinnamon, the feathers with obsolete chestnut 

 shaft-streaks ; wing-coverts and inner secondaries like the back ; nearly the 

 whole of the outer webs of the quills rufous buff, only slightly paler than the 

 back ; remainder of the quills and a portion of the under wing-coverts pale 

 ashy brown ; the rest of the under wing-coverts and the narrow inner edges 

 to the quills buff (in immature birds the edges are broader and rufous buff). 

 Tail with the centre-feathers entirely bright pale cinnamon like the back ; 

 remainder of the tail gradually shading into blackish brown towards the 

 three outer pairs of feathers, which have white edges, extremely narrow, 

 excepting on the outermost ones, which have the whole outer webs and an 

 equally broad end white. Ear-coverts rufous like the mantle ; a broad eye- 

 brow, remainder of face and the under parts generally white, with some 

 rather strongly marked dusky brown angular spots at the base of the throat 

 and some pale chestnut streaks on the sides of the crop. " Iris light dusky 

 hazel; bill dusky, under mandible paler ; tarsi and feet brown" (T. Ayres). 

 Total length 6-2 inches, culmen 0-65, wing 3-3, tail 2-7, tarsus 1-05. 3 , 18. 

 11. 54. Damara (Andersson). 



The Red-backed Desert-Lark inhabits Damaraland and 

 the Transvaal. 



