tinental 

 Europe. 



124 



63. Short toed Lark, Calandrella hracliydactyla (Leisl.). 



Plate 17, fig. 1 (Odessa), 2—4 (Greece). 



Eggs: Thienemann, Fortpfl., Tab. XXVI, fig, 7, a — d. Hewitson, 

 II. Ed. I, pi. XXXVIP; III. Ed. I, pi. XLV, fig. 4. Baedeker, Tab. 66, 

 fig. 2. Taczanowski, Tab. LXIII, fig. 2. Seebohm, Br. Birds, pi. 15; id. 

 Col. Fig., pi. 58. 



Foreign Names: France: Alouette calandrelle. Germany: Kurzzeliige 

 Lerclie. Greece: TsaretJira halohairine, Molochthros. Italy: Calandrella^ 

 Calandrino. Portugal: Carreirbla. Russia: Maloui Javronok. Spain: 

 Terr era, Terrerilla. 



Calandrella hrachydactyla (Leisl.). Newton, ed. Yarrell, I, p. 637; 

 Dresser, Birds of Europe, IV, p. 341; id. Man. Pal. Birds, p. 393; Saunders, 

 Man., p. 255. C. hrachydactyla hrachydactyla (Leisl.). Hartert, Vog. Pal. 

 Fauna, p. 214. 



Breeding Range: S. Europe, from the Iberian peninsula to S. Russia. 

 [Also N. Africa from Marocco to Egypt, and Asia Minor to Beluchistan.] 

 Con- In the Iberian peninsula it is a common summer visitor in the plains, 



arriving about mid March, and frequently found in company with the 

 Calandra Lark. In Spain it is commonest in the cultivated districts and 

 the dry marisma, while in Portugal its favourite haunts are sandy plains 

 near the sea, not only in the south, but also near Oporto. In France it 

 is found in diminishing numbers northward as far as the plain of Troyes, 

 and though scarce in the northern provinces of Italy, is plentiful in the 

 central and southern parts. It is also found in the Balearic Isles, Sardinia, 

 Sicily, and Malta, but not in Corsica; and has been recorded from almost 

 every province in the Balkan peninsula, being especially numerous in the 

 heaths of Montenegro, where it breeds up to 1500 ft. It breeds in the 

 Cyclades, but is local and not common in Cyprus, while its range in Russia 

 extends to the steppes of Astrakhan and the Caucasus, where it is common. 

 Nest. Generally in some slight depression, such as a hoof print or a natural 



hollow, and often under the shelter of a tuft of grass or clump of thistles; 

 built of dried grasses, roots, etc., and neatly lined with hairs, plant down 

 or a few feathers, in some cases, but not always. 

 Eggs. Usually 4 or 5 in number, and extraordinarily variable in appearance. 



Some eggs are almost white, while others vary in ground colour from 

 yellowish or brownish, to occasionally pinkish or pale bluish, and are almost 

 covered with innumerable fine spots of jjale brown, greyish yellow or pale 

 greenish brown. The markings often tend to form a zone at the big end; 

 and sometimes a dark hair line is found, emphasizing the likeness to the 

 eggs of the Yellow Wagtails. In N. Africa the number of eggs seldom 

 exceeds three. 



