330 



G-enus ALAUDULA, Blyth, 1856. 



The genus Alaudula contains the Sand-Larks, which differ 

 structurally from the Short-toed Larks only in having a more 

 slender bill and shorter tertiaries, 



The Sand-Larks frequent the sandy banks of rivers, running 

 about near the edge of the water. They have a poor song. 



Key to tlie Species. 



a. "Wing under 3 - 5. 



a'. Bill at front '5 .......................... A. raytal, p. 330. 



b'. Bill at front '4 .......................... A. adamsi, p. 331 . 



b. Wing about 4 ............................ A. persica, p. 331. 



866. Alaudula raytal. The Ganges Sand-Lark. 



Alauda raytal, Such. Hamilton, Blyth, J. A. 8. B. xiii, p. 962 (1844). 



Calandrella raytal (Blyth}, Blyth, Cat, p. 132. 



Alaudala raytal (Blyth}, Horsf. fy M. Cat. ii, p. 471 ; Jerd. B. I. ii, 



p. 428. 



Alaudula raytal, Blyth, Ibis, 1867, p. 46; Hume, N. $ E. p. 481 ; 



. Yunnan Exped., Aves, p. 606 ; 

 Cripps, S. .F.'vii, p. 295; Hume, Cat. no. 762; Oates, B. B. i, 



id. S. F. iii, p. 159 ; Anders. Yunnan Exped., Aves, p. 606 ; 



p. 374 ; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 280 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 591 ; 

 Oates in Hume's N. fy E. 2nd ed. ii, p. 225. 



The Indian Sand-Lark, Jerd. ; Retal, Hind. 



Fig. 94. Head of A. raytal. 



Coloration. Upper plumage greyish brown, with dark brown 

 shaft-streaks ; lores, supercilium, and under the eye white ; ear- 

 coverts streaked with grey and brown ; lower plumage white, with 

 a few distinct and well-defined brown streaks on the breast, most 

 numerous on the sides ; wings dark brown, edged with greyish 

 brown ; middle tail-feathers brown, broadly edged with fulvous 

 white, the others dark brown, the penultimate feather with the 

 outer web almost entirely white, the outermost with the outer web 

 entirely white, the outer half of the inner web white and the inner 

 half black. 



Legs fleshy yellow ; claws pale horn ; bill horn-colour, with a 

 greenish tinge, the tip dusky, the gape yellowish ; iris brown ; 

 eyelids plumbeous ; mouth flesh-colour. 



Length about 5-5 ; tail 2 ; wing 3-3 ; tarsus *75 ; bill from gape 

 65 ; bill from tip to forehead '5. 



