CALANDRELLA. 



327 



Genus CALANDRELLA, Kaup, 1829. 



The genus Calandrella contains the Short-toed Larks, of which 

 four fairly distinct and recognizable species occur in India. 



In Calandrella the bill is somewhat deep and short, and the 

 nostrils are concealed from view by plumelets ; there are nine 

 primaries only in the wing, and the first is long and reaches to the 

 tip ; the tertiaries are lengthened and reach to the end of the 

 primaries or nearly so ; the hind claw is rather longer than the 

 hind toe and gently curved. 



The Short-toed Larks are fond of dry sandy ground, and their 

 habits are similar to those of the Sky-Larks. The song, how- 

 ever, is weak and monotonous. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Pale part of inner web of outermost tail- 



feather of large extent, more than an 

 inch in length. 

 a'. Light part of outermost tail-feather 



pale buff. 

 a". General colour of lower plumage 



whitish ; wing generally under 3'6. C. brachydactyla, p. 327. 

 b". General colour of lower plumage 



fulvous ; wing generally over 3-9. . C. dukhunensis, p. 328. 

 b' . Light part of outermost tail-feather 



white C. tibetana, p. 329. 



b. Pale part of inner web of outermost tail- 



feather of very small extent, much less 



than an inch in length C. acutirostris, p. 329. 



862. Calandrella brachydactyla. The Short-toed Lark. 



Alauda brachydactyla, Leisler, Wetterau Gesellsch. Ann. iii, pp. 357- 

 359 (1812). 



Calandrella brachydactyla (Leisl.), Hume, S. F. i, p. 213 ; Adam, S. 

 F. i, p. 389 ; Butler, S. F. iii, p. 500 ; Hume, S. F. vii, p. 66 ; id. 

 Cat no. 761 (pt.) ; /;i,/ ( /nlj>/t, Ibis, 1881, p. 88 (pt.) ; Scully, Ibis, 

 1881, p. 579; HuMnlph, Ibis, 1882, p. 285 (pt.) ; Barnes, Birds 

 Bom. p. 279 (pt.) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 580. 



Fig. 93. Head of C. brachydactyla. 



Coloration. Upper plumage sandy buff, each feather broadly 

 centred or streaked with dark brown or black, the upper tail- 



