272 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



The present form of Sky-Lark is apparently a geographical or 

 local race which breeds in Tunisia and is probably resident there 

 throughout the entire year. It no doubt also occurs in Algeria, and 

 perhaps in Marocco. 



In Tunisia the form is to be found in the northern and central 

 districts, from both of which I have specimens of it obtained in 

 spring. Whether it occurs in the south of the Eegency I cannot say. 



In its general life, habits and mode of nesting this Lark does not 

 seem to differ from A. arvensis. A nest of this form which I took in 

 the neighbourhood of Kasrin on April 26th, 1902, was rather small, and 

 composed entirely of grass-bents, without any lining. It contained four 

 eggs of a greenish-grey colour, thickly covered all over with minute 

 purplish-brown spots and blotches. The eggs measured 22 x 16 mm. 



ALAUDA ARVENSIS CANTARELLA (Bonaparte). 

 MEALY SKY-LAEK. 

 Alauda cantarella, Bj}. Icon. Faun. Ital. Ucc. p. 5 (1841). 



Description.— Adult male, winter, from Tatahouine, South Tunisia. 



Differs from A. arvensis, Linn., in being greyer and more mealy in the 

 coloration of its underparts, and of a purer white below. It is also rather 

 smaller, its measurements being as follows : Total length 6 inches, wing 

 4-25, culmen -45, tarsus -84. Soft parts as in A. arvenis. 



Adult female similar to the male, but rather smaller. 



As mentioned in my article on A. arvensis, Linn., a pale mealy 

 form of Sky-Lark occurs in South Tunisia which must, I think, be 

 referred to the above subspecies. 



So far as I am aware, this form occurs only in the south of the 

 Kegency, the few specimens I possess of it having all been obtained 

 in the neighbourhood of Tatahouine, where this Lark appears to be 

 not uncommon in winter. It may possibly also occur further north 

 in Tunisia, but I have no knowledge of its doing so. I cannot say 

 whether the bird breeds and is resident in the country throughout 

 the year. 



