PASSEKINE BIRDS OF CEYLON. 175 



Anthus EICHAEDI RUFULUS. 

 The Indian Pipit, or Titlark. 



Anthus rujulus (Gates, Vol. II., p. 308) ; Corydalla rufula 

 (Legge, p. 625). 



Description. — A much smaller edition of A. richardi richardi, 

 but the tone of the upper plumage is grayer and the lower 

 parts generally whiter. The bill is proportionately larger. 



Dimensions a little variable. Length about 6*5; wing 

 3*15 ; tail 2*4 ; tarsus 1 ; bill from gape '75 ; hind claw '5. 



Distribution. — A resident form, found throughout the 

 Indian Empire and thence south-east to the Malay Archipe- 

 lago and the Philippines. It also occurs over a great part 

 of Africa. It is found abundantly throughout the whole 

 Island, except at the very highest elevations, such as the 

 Horton Plains, where it is scarce. 



Habits. — May be met with everj/where, on grassy fiats 

 near the sea, pastures, dry paddy fields, and open patanas. 

 It is very tame and fearless, and runs about actively through 

 the heat of the day. The flight is swift and undulating. 

 It breeds during the dry weather from April to July. The 

 nest is a small cup of dry grass and grass roots, well concealed 

 in a slight depression under the shelter of a tussock of grass. 

 The lining is of finer material than the outside of the nest. 

 The two or three eggs are almost oval in shape. The ground 

 colour is whitish, or at times greenish stone, generally fairly 

 thickly spotted with dull brown and occasionally fainter 

 markings of dingy purple. I have two clutches which are 

 much darker and with deep brown, streaky markings covering 

 the greater part of the surface. Average size of a fair Ceylon 

 series • 80 by • 60. 



Family Alaudid^. 

 Larks. 



The typical Larks closely resemble the Pipits, having the 

 same soberly streaked plumage and long inner secondaries. 

 They are, however, slightly plumper in form, the bill is not 

 quite so slender, and the tail a little shorter, while unlike the 

 Pipits they soar and sing while soaring. They are also 

 distinguished from them and from all other Indian Passeres 

 by the transversely scutellated hinder aspect of the tarsus. 



