210 ALAUDID3 MIRAFRA 



under the headings of Megalophonus sabota and M. n&vius, in the 

 " Birds of Damara Land," pages 195 and 199: "This is a very 

 common bird about Objimbinque ; it is by no means timid, and 

 settles on trees and bushes as well as on the ground. Its food 

 consists of seeds and insects." 



" I met with this Lark at various places north of the Omaruru 

 River, where, although rather local, it is abundant in some locali- 

 ties, and especially in Ondongo. On April 25 I found its nest in 

 the last-named locality, containing three eggs of a very elongated 

 form and much pointed at one end. Other nests which I met with 

 on various occasions were either empty or contained young birds. 



" The nest is composed of fine grasses, and is built upon the 

 ground, into which the lower portion of it is sunk to the depth of 

 two or three inches ; it is placed between and resting against two 

 stout plants, and is round and dome-shaped, with one large opening 

 to the southward, the side freest from the wind and rain. 



" I am always delighted to hear this bird as it makes the welkin 

 ring with its sonorous song and call, composed of a series of notes, 

 which it utters either when perched on a tree or when moving from 

 one spot to another. Whilst thus flying and singing it may be seen 

 alternately to open and close its wings, sometimes almost bringing 

 them to meet over its back, when it appears for the moment to be 

 suspended in the air." 



Mr. T. Ayres writes : " These Larks are rather common amongst 

 the thorn-trees on the banks of the Limpopo, where they occur 

 either singly or in pairs. When disturbed they usually settle on 

 the top of some low thorn and remain till the cause of alarm has 

 disappeared, when they return to the ground in search of seeds and 

 insects " (" Ibis," 1886, p. 290). 



*?3 f 



117. Mirafra africanoides. Fawn-coloured Lark. 



Mirafra africanoides, Smith, Eep. Exp. C. Afr. 1836, p. 47; id. III. 



Zool. S. Afr. Birds, pi. 88, fig. 2 (1843) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. 



Afr. p. 523 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 616 (1890) ; Shelley, B. 



Afr. i, p. 16 (1896). 

 Megalophonus africanoides, Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 382 (1844) ; Gurney in 



Anderssorfs B. Damara Land, p. 198 (1872) ; Layard, B. S. Afr., 



p. 214 (1867). 



Description. Adult male in summer. Above reddish-brown, 

 narrowly streaked with black ; wing-coverts dark brown with 



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