OF VICTORIA. 91 



RUFOUS SONG-LARK, 



Cinclorliaiiipliiis rufesceiis, Vig. and Hors. 



Sing-kld-rain'fus ro-fes'ens.' 

 Kiglios, a bird ; rJiamphos, a curved beak ; rufescere, to redden. 



CiNCLORAMPHUS RUFESCENS, Gould, "Birds of Australia," fol., 

 vol. ill., pi. 76. 



Geographical Distribution. — Areas 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9. 



Key to the Species. — General appearance rufous-tinted ; throat 

 and abdomen whitish ; upper tail coverts rufous ; inner second- 

 aries nearly e(iual the primaries in length. 



It will come as a surprise to many of us to know that we 

 have Song- Larks in Australia. Not only so, but strongly 

 stationed upon the inner sliores of Hobson's Bay we also 

 liave the British Singing-Lark, a highly favourable intro- 

 duction. Certainly our two species do not equally compare 

 witli the bird of the fatherland, because their song, though 

 strong, is not so rich or so prolonged. Although we 

 generally call the Cinclorhamphi the Song- Larks, there is 

 another in most parts of southern and western Victoria 

 more worthy of the name. I refer to the Bush-Lark or 

 Pipit-like bird (Mirafra). While the Cinclorhamphus sings 

 in the day, the Mirafra sings in the night. Mr. North says 

 it is the only Australian bird that does so, while Mr. 

 Gilbert champions the cause of the Long-billed Beed- 

 Warbler (Acrocephalus). 



The second species of the genus is the Brown Song-Lark, 

 a bird of more heavy build and darker plumage. The 

 sexes differ very much in size. Both mount into the air, 

 but it is the male that sings so enthusiastically when his 

 mate is beneath upon the nest. It is a pleasant sight to 

 see the tremulous mount made high into the air, and to 



