206 ALAUDIDZE MIRAFBA 



domed, the remainder cup-shaped nests. They lay from three to 

 five whitish eggs, thickly spotted and zoned with different shades of 

 purplish-brown and grey. 



Key to the Species (after Sharpe). 



a. Light pattern of outer tail-feather white or 



pale fulvous. 



a 1 . Inner lining of wing- quills not rufous. 

 a 2 . Above black ; ear-coverts black ; throat 



and breast thickly spotted with black... M. nigricans, p. 207. 

 6 2 . Above tawny or sandy, broadly streaked 



with black. 

 a 3 . Smaller; wing about 3'30; breast 



thickly spotted with black M. sabota, p. 208. 



& 3 . Larger; wing about 3 '50; breast thinly 



spotted with black M. ncevia,^. 209. 



6 1 . Inner lining of wing-quills entirely rufous, 

 extending over both webs of the primaries 

 at the base. 

 c 2 . Culmen less than 0'65. 



c 3 . Back rufous M. africanoides, p. 210. 



d 3 . Back grey M. damarensis, p. 211. 



d 2 . Culmen over 0'75 ; the hinder crown 



rufous with black tips M. africana, p. 212. 



c 1 . Inner lining of wing-quills and under wing- 

 coverts isabelline white M. fringillaris, p. 214. 



d l . Inner lining of wing- quills and under wing- 

 coverts deep chestnut M. c-Jieniana, p. 215. 



b. Light pattern of outer tail-feathers tawny- 



rufous. 

 e l . Wing-quills brown, edged with ash-brown ; 



centre tail-feathers pale rufous with broad 



blackish centres ; crown grey spotted with 



brown M. fiscJieri, p. 216. 



f l . Wing-quills dusky-brown with rufous or 



ashy margins ; centre tail-feathers black- 

 ish mottled with rufous ; crown ash-grey 



with but little rufous M. apiata, p. 217. 



g l . Wing-quills almost entirely rufous ; the 



tips dusky ; centre tail-feathers rufous 



with black bars ; crown rufous with black 



spots M. rufipilea, p. 218. 



