TEPHROCORYS RUFICEPS. 127 



crown inclining to dusky blackish towards the forehead, and narrowly edged 

 at the sides with black, while on the back of the crown are some strongly 

 marked black shaft-stripes ; ear-coverts dusky ; under parts with the throat, 

 sides of neck, centre of breast and the under tail-coverts white ; a jet black 

 patch on each side of the base of the throat passing into pale rufous, with 

 which colour the whole crop, sides of body and the thighs are washed. 

 "Iris brown, bill and legs dark." Total length 5-9 and 6'1 inches, culmen 

 0-5 and 0-45, wiug 3-55, tail 2-3, tarsus 0.8. 3 and ? , 22. 1. 99. Jifadensa 

 (Lovat). 



Yotmg. Similar, but darker than the young of T. cinerea already 

 described, the crown and mantle nearly black and almost spotless. 



The Abyssinian Red-capped Lark inhabits Somahland and 

 Abyssinia. 



Dr. Donaldson Smith collected two specimens at Sheik 

 Mahomed in November, which have been referred to this 

 species, the range of which I cannot trace further soutb, for 

 I believe that Megalophonus ruficeps, Fischer (J. f. 0. 1885, p. 

 137), from Naiwasha, is referable to the southern T. cinerea. 



Lord Lovat met with the present species at Jeffi Dunsa 

 and Balti in January, during his journey from Berbera to the 

 Blue Nile, and writes : " It is common at all elevations of 

 Shoan Abyssinia." Dr. Ragazzi has collected specimens of this 

 Lark at Falle in December and January, and found it frequent- 

 ing the vicinity of native habitations. Antinori met with the 

 species in this country at Lice and the valley of Waddeccia in 

 June and November, and further north he obtained a specimen 

 at Matacrur in January. Ruppell records the species as 

 abundant in Abyssinia, where he first discovered it. Accord- 

 ing to Heuglin this Lark is most plentiful in the highlands, 

 from 6,000 to 11,000 feet. He met with the species as far 

 north as Hamasien, but not further west than Lake Tana. 



