ALAUDA, 221 



and June, and contained, one five, two four, and the rest lesser 

 numbers of eggs. 



Eggs which I consider belong to this species, though Mr. Brooks 

 would assign them to A. liopus as a distinct species, taken at 

 Soonamerg in Cashmere by Captain Cock, and in Kooloo by my 

 own collectors, very much resemble those of A. gulgula, but are 

 somewhat larger, and have the markings, I think, rather coarser. 



The ground-colour of the egg is white, tinged greenish, yellowish, 

 brownish, and greyish in different specimens, and the whole surface 

 is thickly and moderately finely mottled over (much more densely 

 towards the large end) with brown (the shade of which varies much 

 in different eg;*^ generally more or less intermingled with dull 

 grey. In some eggs the brown is decidedly yellowish ; in others it 

 is a sepia-brown ; in some it is decidedly greyish. In most eggs 

 the markings seem more or less completely confluent towards the 

 large end, and form there a more or less irregular clouded cap or 

 zone. 



The eggs vary in length from O83 to 0*93, and in breadth from 

 0*65 to 0*67 ; but I have unfortunately only measured four. 



Alauda gulgula, Frankl. The Indian Sky-Lark. 



Alauda gulg-ula, Frank!., Jerd. B. 2nd. ii, p. 434 ; Hume, Rouy/i 

 Draft N. $ E. no. 767. 



Under this one specific title I propose to include all the many 

 races of the Indian Sky-Lark, and there is the less inconvenience 

 in this, that all these races, alike in hills and plains, north and 

 south, breed at the same season (from the middle of April to nearly 

 the end of June), build the same kind of nest, and lay the same 

 number of precisely similar eggs. 



The nest is always placed on the ground in a shallow depression, 

 usually, I believe, scratched by the birds themselves, under the 

 shelter of some clod of earth, large stone, tuft of grass or other 

 herbage, or dense stunted bush. It consists merely of a deeper or 

 shallower cup or saucer of fine grass, in many cases a mere lining 

 to the hole or depression, in others a regular nest, the interior 

 always being composed of the finest grass. Five is certainly the 

 maximum number of eggs laid, and three is, I think, the usual 

 complement. 



From Almorah * Mr. Brooks tells us that he found the Indian 

 Sky-Lark laying in Kumaon in May, and he says that the bird is 

 " common on open ground near Almorah, and between that place 

 and Binsur. It is a most delightful songster, quite equal to the 

 English Sky-Lark, I think, and the song is sweeter. I do not think 

 it goes on for quite so long a time as A. arvensis. 



* A specimen of a Sky-Lark procured by Mr. Brooks at Almorah, and now 

 in the British Museum appears to be referable to A. gulyula rather than to 

 A. arvensis (var. A. liopus) as might have been expected. ED. 



