178 SPOLTA ZEYLANICA. 



to July. The nest is a neatly made little cup of grass and 

 grass roots, lined with finer materials of the same nature and 

 built in a little depression of the ground under the shelter of a 

 tussock of grass. The two or three eggs are slightly pointed 

 ovals in shape. There are two types. In one the egg is a 

 dull whitish stone-colour, thickly spotted, chiefly at the larger 

 end, with dull, dark brown over fainter marks of dingy 

 purplish-gray. In the other the colour is a more glossy 

 whitish with smaller and more evenly scattered freckles of 

 yellowish-brown and dull gray. Average size • 84 by • 60. 



MlRAFRA AFFINIS. 



The Madras Bush Lark. 



Mirafra affinis (Gates, Vol. II., p. 335 ; Legge, p. 634). 



Description. — Upper plumage and wing coverts dark brown 

 with broad, brownish-buff margins, which are paler on the 

 hind-neck and wing coverts ; wing quills brown with rufous 

 margins and a rufous area on the basal portions of the inner 

 webs ; tail feathers brown with pale rufous edges, the outside 

 feather with a broader edge on the outer web ; lores brownish ; 

 an indistinct buff streak over the eye ; ear coverts and cheeks 

 buff streaked with brown ; lower parts whitish-buff, palest on 

 the chin and throat, the lower throat and the breast streaked 

 with broad, triangular patches of rich brown ; flanks tinged 

 with brown. 



Bill : upper mandible dark brown, the margin and lower 

 mandible, except the tip, flesh-coloured ; iris reddish or yellow- 

 ish-brown ; legs and feet fleshy-white. 



Dimensions rather variable : length about 6 ; wing 3*2; 

 tail 2 ; tarsus 1 ; bill from gape • 7. 



Distribution. — Common all over the low-country, except 

 in the dampest districts where it is not so abundant. It 

 is not found in the hills except as a straggler. It also occurs 

 over a large part of Southern India. 



Habits. — Found wherever there is dry pasture or any little 

 open stretch of dry grass. It is fond of perching on bushes 

 or dead branches of trees. The song is sweet, but low and 

 not nearly so sustained as that of the Sky Lark. The bird 



