126 

 Geographical Races. 



a. Aiidaluciau Lark, C. minor baetica Dress. 



Foreign Names: Spain: Marismena, Cujailla. 

 C. haetica Dress. Dresser, Birds of Europe, IV, p, 351; id. Man. Pal. 

 Birds, p. 395. C. minor haetica Dress. Hartert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, p. 218. 

 Breeding Range: S. Spain. 



In Andalucia, where it was first discovered by Lord Lilford, this bird 

 is found commonly in the valley of the Guadalquivir, and also in the Vega 

 de la Janda. In Granada it is resident near Malaga, and according to 

 Hartert also in Murcia and Valencia. 

 Nest. Placed in a slight hollow, sometimes on the bare ground, at other 



times under shelter of a grass tuft, a clump of thistles, or a small bush, 

 in the islets in the marisma or in the marshes by the river. It is also 

 found in the corn lands, especially below Seville. The nest is composed 

 of dry grasses, with sometimes a few feathers in the Kning and is said 

 to be rather more neatly built than that of C. brachydactyla. 

 Eggs. Usually 3 — 4, but 5 are occasionally found. They differ considerably 



in appearance from those of the Short toed Lark, which also breeds in the 

 same district, having an almost white ground, sparingly spotted or blotched 

 with ochreous or reddish brown and underlying violet grey. In some cases 

 the markings tend to form a zone. 

 Breeding The first eggs may be found at the beginning of April, but most 



Season. ^^^ Yq^[^ i^ the latter half of the month, and also in May. 

 Measure- Average of 32 eggs 19.8X14.37 mm.. Max. 21.5x14.1 and 19.1X15.2 



""^°*'- mm., Min. 18.2x13.7 and 19.2X13.6 mm. 



b. Pallas's Lark, C. minor lieinei (Horn.). See above. 



[In addition to the above races, Tenerife is inhabited by C. minor 

 rufescens (Vieill.), while in Lanzarote and Fuertaventura another form, 

 C. minor polatzeki Hart, is met with. The eggs are very similar to those 

 of the Andalucian form. Average of 70 eggs (54 by Rey and 16 by the 

 writer) 19.78 X 14.29 mm.. Max. 23.5 X 14.7 and 21.7 X 15.4 mm., Min. 

 17.6 X 14 and 20 X 13 mm. Average weight 136 mg. (Rey). In N. Africa, 

 from Marocco to Egypt, C. minor minor (Cab.) is abundant locally. The 

 clutch usually consists of 3 eggs, which are laid from the beginning of 

 April onward to June. Average of 15 eggs by Erlanger, 19.8 X 14 mm., 

 Max. 21x16 mm., Min. 18X14 and 20X11 mm. Average weight 132 mg.] 



[Desert Lark, Ammonianes desert! algeriensis Sharpe. 



Eggs: Konig, Journ. f. Ornith. 1896, Tab. VII, fig. 6. 

 Ammomanes deserti (Licht.). Dresser, Birds of Europe, IV, p. 329; id. Man. 

 Pal. Birds, p. 397. A. deserti algeriensis Sharpe. Hartert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, p. 221. 



