SKY-LARK. 503 



Alouette blanche. Buff. Hist. Nat. Ois. 5. 20. 



White Lark. Lath. Gen. Syn. 4. 369. A. 



y.fusco-nigra. 



Variety of a brown black. 



Alauda nigra. Briss. Orn. 3. 340. B. 



Alouette noire. Buff. Hist. Nat. Ois. 5. 22. Buff. PI Enl. 



650. f. l. 

 Dusky Lark. Lath. Gen. Syn. 4. 3/0. 1. B. 



THIS delightful singingbird is about seven inches 

 in length : its beak is dusky ; the base of the under 

 mandible yellowish : the feathers on the top of 

 the head are dusky, edged with rufous brown ; 

 they are rather elongated, and may be set up like 

 a crest; the back of the head is inclined to cine- 

 reous : the feathers on the upper part of the body 

 are reddish brown, with the middle darkest, and 

 the edges pale : the under parts are dirty buff; the 

 neck and breast are darkest, and streaked with 

 dusky : quills brown, with the outer webs and the 

 tips lightest : the tail is dusky brown, the two 

 middle feathers darkest, with light rufous edges ; 

 the outer feather is white on the exterior web and 

 tip of the inner; the second that colour on the 

 outer web only, and the next with a slight edging 

 of white on the outer web: legs dusky; claws 

 dusky, the hind one very long and straight : the 

 female differs in being much less than the male. 



This species is subject to considerable variety, 

 some being found of a pure white, others of a 

 light cream-colour ; again mixed brown and white, 

 with the belly white ; and also of a dusky black, 

 the hind part of the head, the beak, and legs, 



