132 CALANDRELLA ATHENSIS. 



reason to believe that the Short-toed Larks have tlie same 

 sociable habits. 



Calandrella athensis. 



Spizoeorys athensis, Sharpe, B. 0. C. x. p. 101 (1900) Athi B. 



Type. In colouring and pattern of plumage this species is exactly like 

 Alaudula batica, but it differs in being sHghtly larger, in having the bill 

 decidedly stronger, the secondaries half an inch longer and reaching to the 

 tip of the wing. Above mottled blackish brown with pale ashy edges, very 

 slightly tinted with rufous on some of the wing-coverts ; outer margin of the 

 first long primary white ; tail with the outer feather white or buff with a 

 dusky wedge-shaped patch on the inner web (not reaching to the end of the 

 feather) ; penultimate feather with the outer web almost entirely white 

 and the next feather partially edged with white ; sides of head with a broad 

 eyebrow and cheeks white ; in front of eye a small dusky line ; a band of 

 dusky brown formed by the lower ear-coverts extending forward to the gape, 

 from which a mottling of a few dusky spots extend down the sides of the 

 upper half of the throat ; under-parts generally white ; sides of neck white, 

 with a black patch between it and the crop ; crop strongly marked with 

 elongated blackish spots inclining to narrow shaft-stripes on the flanks ; 

 both slightly washed with brownish buff ; under surface of the wings dusky 

 brown with narrow whitish inner margins to the quills ; the under wing- 

 coverts slightly tinted with buff. Total length 5-5 inches, culmen 0-45, 

 wing 3-55, tail 2-2, tarsus 0-85. ^ , 14. 11. 99. Athi R. (Delamere). 



The Athi Short-toed Lark inhabits British Bast Africa. 



The only specimens known to me of this Lark are the 

 typical examples which were discovered by Lord Delamere at 

 the Athi river, November 14th, 1899, on the same day that he 

 shot the only African specimen yet known of Calandrella 

 acutirostris. 



Calandrella somaliea. 



Alauda somahca, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1895, p. 472 Somali; Shelley, B. Afr. 

 I^ No. 194 (1896) ; Elliot, Field Columb. Mus. i. No. 2, p. 27 (1897) 



Silo Plain. 



Type. Above mottled, tawny shaded sandy brown, with dark brown 

 centres to the feathers ; outer edge of first long primary white ; tail with the 



