\MMOMANES. 339 



876. Galerita malabarica. The Malabar Crested Lark. 



Alauda malabarica, Scop. Del. Flor. et Faun. Insubr. ii. p. 94 (1786) ; 



Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 436. 

 Spizalauda malabarica (Scop.), Hume, N. 8f E. p. 483 ; id. Cat. no. 765 



bis ; Davison, S. F. x, p. 405 ; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 282. 

 Alauda (Spizalauda) malabarica, Scop. Blanf. S. F. iv, p. 241. 

 Galerita malabarica (Scop.), Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 633 ; Oates 



in Hume's N. $ E. 2nd ed. ii, p. 237. 

 The Crested Malabar Lark, Jerd. 



Coloration. Resembles G. deva very closely, but is considerably 

 larger, has the streaks on the breast very broad and coarse and the 

 light pattern of the tail much deeper rufous. 



Iris dark brown ; legs and feet livid flesh ; bill horny brown 

 above, whitish flesh below (Butler). 



Length nearly 7 ; tail 2-3 ; wing 3-8 ; tarsus -85 ; bill from 

 gape -7. 



Distribution. A permanent resident in the western part of the 

 peninsula of India from Guzerat to Travancore, occurring up to 

 the summit of the hill-ranges of those parts. 



Habits, fyc. Breeds from March to September, having two broods. 

 The mode of nidification of this species appears to be quite the 

 same as that of G. deva, but the eggs are larger and more distinctly 

 marked and measure about "87 by '65. 



Genus AMMOMANES, Cabanis, 1850. 



The genus Ammomanes contains those Finch-Larks which are 

 characterized by a general rufous tone of plumage and by the 

 sexes being alike in colour. 



In Ammomanes the bill is thick and slightly curved and resembles 

 that of Galandrella very closely; the nostrils are covered by 

 plumelets ; the wing has ten primaries, the first being small but 

 exceeding the primary- coverts considerably, and the second quill 

 is much shorter than the third ; the hind claw is short and curved. 



The Larks of this genus are found in open plains and arid spots. 

 They rise singing in the air for a short distance and descend with 

 a sudden drop. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Tail deep rufous broadly tipped black. . . . A. phoenicura, p. 339. 



b. Tail brown throughout, merely tinged with 



rufous A. phomicuroides, p. 340. 



^77. Ammomanes phcenicura. T7ie Rufous-tailed Finch-Lark. 



Mirafra phoenicura, Frankl P. Z. S. 1831, p. 119 ; Bluth, Cat. p. 134 



Ammomanes phoenicura (Frankl.), Horsf. ty M. Cat. ii, p. 477 



Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 421 ; Hume, N. 8? E. p. 477 ; id. Cat. no. 758 



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