CALANDRELLA MINOR 283 



to its requirements and afford the bird a congenial home. When 

 roosting as these Larks do on the bare ground, they scoop out little 

 hollows for the purpose, and hundreds of these slight depressions in 

 the soil may sometimes be found in spots where a large flock of the 

 birds have passed the night. 



This small Lark has a rapid and undulating flight when moving 

 from spot to spot, but it often soars high into the air, and then 

 descends in a series of dips, finally dropping perpendicularly to the 

 ground like a stone. This I have repeatedly noticed in spring-time, 

 when the birds observed have probably had their nests near at hand. 

 During this soaring flight the birds sing very sweetly. When on 

 migration their note is a simple twitter, and they are then usually to 

 be seen flying close to the ground. In Italy I have met with the 

 Short-toed Lark, during the periods of migration, at considerable 

 altitudes, and on mountain-tops over 6,000 feet above sea-level. 



The nesting season of this species probably commences towards 

 the end of March, as by the middle of April nests may be found with 

 their complement of eggs. The nests, which are placed on the 

 ground, are chiefly composed of fine dry grasses, and as a rule have 

 little or no lining. The eggs are generally three in number, but I 

 have more than once found as many as four in a nest. At a first 

 glance they appear to be of an uniform pale dull green colour, but on 

 closer inspection they will be found to be of a dull white, covered 

 closely with minute pale greenish-brown spots, often somewhat 

 clouded, and generally more concentrated at the larger end. Average 

 measurements 20 X 14 mm. 



CALANDRELLA MINOR (Cabanis). 

 LESSER SHORT-TOED LARK. 



Calandritis minor, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. Th. i, p. 1'23 (1850) ; Koenuj, 



J. f. 0. 1888, p. 220 ; id. J. f. 0. 1893, p. 42. 

 Alaudula minor, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xiii, p. 588. 

 Calandrella reboudia, Loche, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. ii, p. 23 (1867). 

 Calandrella pispoletta minor, Erlanger, J. f. 0. 1899, p. 359. 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from El-Hamra, Central Tunisia. 

 Lores and superciliary stripes whitish ; upper parts generally pale sandy- 



