OTOCORTS. 319 



Genus OTOCORYS, Bonap., 1838. 



The genus Otocorys contains the Horned Larks, three species of 

 which are found at considerable altitudes in the Himalayas. They 

 occur in flocks, and at the breeding-season the males are said to rise 

 in the air, and sing in the same manner as the Sky-Lark. 



The Horned Larks have a few lengthened feathers springing 

 from each side of the crown in both sexes. The bill is of median 

 length, and the nostrils are densely covered by plumes ; the wing has 

 nine primaries, of which the first reaches nearly to the tip of the 

 wing ; the hind claw is straight and about as long as the hind toe. 

 The sexes are slightly different in colour, and both sexes undergo 

 a considerable variation of plumage according to season, caused by 

 the gradual wearing away of the margins of the feathers in winter 

 and spring. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Black of the side of the head connected with 



black of breast O. penicillatn, p. 319. 



b. Black of the side of the head divided from 



black of breast by a white band. 



a'. Wing about 5 ; bill at front "55 to '6 O. l&nyirostris, p. 320. 



b'. Wing about 4'5 ; bill at front '4 to '45 O. elwesi, p. 321. 



855. Otocorys penicillata. Gould's Honied Lurk. 



Alauda penicillata, Gould, P. Z. S. 1837, p. 126. 



Otocorys penicillata (Gould), Blanf. E. Pers. ii, p. 240; Biddulph, 



Ibis! 1881, p. 89 ; Scully, Ibis, 1881, p. 580 ; BiMidph, Ibis, 1882, 



p. 285 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 530. 



Coloration. After the autumn moult the feathers at the base of 

 the upper mandible and the lores are deep black ; the forehead, a 

 broad supercilium, the posterior part of the ear-coverts, the chin, 

 and upper throat are dull yellow ; anterior part of crown black, 

 each feather broadly margined with vinous ; coronal horns black, 

 with pale tips ; upper plumage ashy brown, the crown, mantle, and 

 upper tail-coverts with the major portion of the feathers rich 

 vinous, imparting a tinge of this colour to those parts ; the rump 

 and upper tail-coverts with blackish shaft-streaks ; middle tail- 

 feathers dark brown, margined with paler brown ; the other 

 feathers black, narrowly margined paler, the outermost feather 

 more broadly margined with pure white ; wing-coverts brown, 

 margined with ashy and washed with vinous; primaries and 

 secondaries dark brown, narrowly margined with whitish ; tertiaries 

 like the middle pair of tail-feathers ; cheeks, anterior part of ear- 

 coverts, sides of throat, fore neck, upper breast, and sides of the 

 neck deep black, each feather margined with yellowish ; remainder 



