338 



spring to Central Asia. This Lark, in a more or less variable 

 form, has an immense range, being found in Europe and Northern 

 Africa and the greater part of Asia, as far east as China. 



Habits, fyc. Breeds in India from March to June, constructing 

 a small nest of grass on the ground under shelter of a stone or clod 

 of earth. The nest is usually lined with cotton, hair, fibres, and 

 feathers. The eggs, usually three in number, are dull white marked 

 with brown and purple, and measure about *87 by '65. 



875. Galerita deva. Sykes's Crested Lark. 



Alauda deva, Sykes, P. Z. S. 1832, p. 92. 



Mirafra hayii, Jerd. Madr. Journ. L. S. xiii, pt. 2, p. 136 (1844) ; 

 Blyth, Cat. p. 133. 



Spizalauda deva (Sykes), Horsf. fy M. Cat. ii, p. 477 ; Jerd. B. I. 

 ii, p. 432; Hume, Cat. no. 7(35; Davison, S. F. x, p. 704; Barnes, 

 Birds Bom. p. 281 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 621. 



Alauda simillima (Hume), J. A. S. B. xxxix, pt. ii, p. 120 (1870). 



Spizalauda simillima (Hume), Hume, N. fy E. p. 484. 



Alauda (Spizalauda) deva, Sykes, Blanf. S. F. iv, p. 240. 



Galerita deva (Sykes}, Gates in Hume's N, 4* E. 2nd ed. ii, p. 236. 



The Small Crested Lark, Jerd. ; Chinna chandul, Tel. 



Coloration. Upper plumage rufous, with dark brown streaks or 

 centres to all the feathers ; the upper tail-coverts more uniformly 

 rufous ; tail dark brown edged with rufous, the penultimate feather 

 with the outer web entirely rufous, the outermost feather all rufous 

 except a small portion of the inner web ; wing-coverts and quills 

 brown, edged with rufous, all the quills with a large amount of 

 pale rufous on the inner web ; a broad and well-defined pale rufous 

 supercilium ; sides of the head pale rufous mottled, with brown ; 

 the entire lower plumage rufous, with a few spots on the cheeks 

 and a few narrow black streaks on the breast ; under wing-coverts 

 and axillaries rufous. 



Bill horny brown above, pale flesh-colour below ; legs and feet 

 yellowish brown ; iris dark brown (Butler). 



Length about 6; tail 2'1 ; wing 3'4; tarsus '8; bill from 

 gape -6. 



Distribution. A considerable portion of the peninsula of India, 

 where this species is a permanent resident. It occurs in Cutcb, 

 Kajputana, the eastern portion of the Punjab, the North-west Pro- 

 vinces and Central India, extending south to about the latitude of 

 Bangalore and Madras. Its eastern limits are not known with any 

 precision, but it does not seem to be found east of the 80th degree 

 of longitude. To the west it is found everywhere as far as the 

 sea-coast. 



Habits, fyc. Breeds from June to August, making its nest at the 

 foot of a tuft of grass or bush, and laying three eggs, which are 

 speckled with reddish brown and purplish, and measure about 77 

 by -6. 



