122 



and though met with north of the Caucasus, is not found in the Baku 

 district. [Also in Armenia, Asia Minor, Cyprus, Palestine, and N. W. Africa, 

 from Marocco to Tunis, but replaced in Turkestan, Persia, Afghanistan, etc. 

 by M. calandra psammocJiroa Hart.] 

 Nest. Placed in a depression of the ground, sometimes as much as 3 or 



4 in. deep, and sheltered by coarse herbage or corn. It is composed of 

 the usual dead grasses, bents, etc., lined with rather finer materials; 

 diameter of cup about 2| in. It is generally well concealed, and is usually 

 found only by flushing the hen from the nest. 

 Eggs. 4 — 5 in number as a rule in the south of Europe. In Montenegro 



von Fiihrer found normally 5, and occasionally 4 or 6, Kriiper once found 

 a clutch of 7 eggs in Acarnania, and F. C. Selous took clutches of 6 and 

 7 near the Maeander River in Asia Minor. They are small for the size 

 of the bird and are generally boldly spotted and blotched with ochreous 

 brown and underlying grey spots, thickly distributed over a yellowish white 

 ground, sometimes in a zone. Some eggs have been compared to those 

 of the Great Grey Shrike. Reiser describes and figures some remarkable 

 Greek specimens with only a few bold spots of dark brown and lilac (I. c). 

 Most eggs show a fairly decided gloss. 



Breeding In S. Spain the first eggs are found in the first or second week in 



April, and thence onward through May and early June; while in N. Africa 

 they may be taken as early as the end of March and throughout April 

 and May, so that probably two broods are reared. In Greece the breeding 

 season lasts from the end of April to June, and in Montenegro from May 4 

 to the end of the month. 



Measure- Average of 100 eggs (68 by Rey and 32 by the writer) 24.23 X 17.87 



mm., Max. 27.1 X 18.9 and 26.8 X 19.2 mm., Min. 21.5 X 16.5 and 

 22.5 X 16 mm. Average weight of 68 eggs, 239 mg. (Rey), of 38 eggs, 

 237 mg. (Bau). 



[In Transcaspia, Asia Minor, Persia, etc., is found an allied species, 

 M. bimaculata (Menetr.). Eggs like those of M. calandra. Average of 

 3 in Dresser's collection, taken by Sarudny in Transcaspia on June 10, 

 23.3X17.2 mm.] 



61. White Twinged Lark, Melanocoryplia sibirica (Grm.). 



Plate 16, fig. 6—9 (S. Russia). 



Eggs: Thienemann, Fortpfl., Tab. IC, fig. 14, a, b. Baedeker, Tab, 66, 

 fig. 7. Seebohm, Brit. Birds, pi. 15; id. Col. Fig., pi. 58. 



ForeignNames: Germany : Sibirische Lerche. Hungary : Feherszdrnyu 

 pacsirta. Poland: Skoivronek hialokrzydly. Russia: Belokriloi Javronok. 



Melanocoryplia sibirica (Gm.). Newton, ed. Yarrell, I, p. 642; Dresser, 



Season. 



ments. 



