ALAUDID.E TEPHKOCOEYS 221 



tips ; sides of neck grey, of face brown ; a black streak over the ear- 

 coverts ; under surface dull white, the breast tinged with brown, 

 the throat and breast spotted with dusky. 



Distribution. The Transvaal, where it is not uncommon near 

 Potchefstroom and in the Megaliesbergen, ranging across Bechuana- 

 land to Great Namaqualand, Damaraland, and Ondongo. 



Habits. Andersson found this pretty little Lark "not un- 

 common in Ondongo; " "before the breeding-season they are seen 

 in small flocks, but are less observable after they are paired." 



" A pair which I watched occupied about eight days in con- 

 structing their nest and in the female bird laying her eggs, which 

 I took on March 31, after they had been incubated about three 

 days. The nest is formed in a hole excavated to the depth of about 

 two and a half inches and thickly lined with decomposed grasses." 



Mr. T. Ayres met with this species near Potchefstroom, in the 

 Transvaal, "feeding on the open flats amongst the short grass." 

 He found them in this locality both in June and November, during 

 the latter month in pairs, so that they are probably resident. They 

 feed on insects and grass-seeds. 



Genus VII. TEPHROCORYS. 



Type. 

 Tephrocorys, Sharpe, P.Z.S. (1874:), p. 633 T. cinerea. 



Bill rather short and stout, equal in height and breadth at the 

 nostrils, the culmen shorter than the middle toe and claw. The 

 first primary rudimentary, not exceeding the inner toe and claw 

 in length. Tail short, shorter than the wing. 



The genus Tephrocorys contains four species ; three are confined 

 to South Africa and Benguela, the fourth inhabits North-east Africa. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Crown of a uniform rufous, unstreaked. 



a 1 . Crown bright chestnut-red T. cinerea, p. 222. 



6 1 . Crown pale cinnamon-red T. spleniata, p. 223. 



I. Crown rufous, striped with black T. anderssoni, p. 224. 



