364 



A VES ORDER PASSERIFORMES. 



Fig. 101. THE SNOW-BUNTING 

 (Plectrophenax nivalis). 



The Larks. 



Family 

 Alaudidce. 



white bases of the primaries extend by degrees, as the rufous colour of 



the upper parts is gradually shed, 

 allowing the underlying black and 

 white plumage to predominate, so that 

 the summer dress of the snow-bunting 

 is pure black and white. 



Besides the genus JSmbertea, which 

 contains our yellow-hammer (E. citrin- 

 clla), cirl-bunting (E. cirlus\ and or- 

 tolan (E. hortulana), the buntings like- 

 wise embrace the corn -bunting (Mili- 

 aria miliaria), the Lapland bunting 

 (Calcarius lappoiiicus), and a large 

 number of American genera (Zouo- 

 trichia, Poospiza, Junco, Spizella, Am- 

 modronus, Melospiza, Hcemophila, Pip- 

 ilo, Spiza, Pseudochloris, Phryyilus, 

 Paroaria, etc.). 



Larks are chiefly denizens of the Old World, though North America claims 

 a number of species of horned-larks (Otocorys), which represent a circumpolar 

 genus, of which the European horned-lark (0. alpestris) occurs 

 in Northern Europe and Northern Asia, as well as in North 

 America. In America the horned larks are more numerous, 

 and even extend into Colombia 

 in South America. The Alau- 

 didce are distinguished from all other passerine 

 birds by the scutellatioris on the hinder side of 

 the tarsi (planta tarsi). They are especially 

 numerous in Africa, and also in the plains of 

 India, the dominant genus Mirafra extending to 

 the Malayan Islands and even to Australia. The 

 sky-larks, of which our own familiar species, 

 Alauda arvensis, is the best known representa- 

 tive, are chiefly palsearctic, though similar 

 species occur in the Indian region. The larl.s 

 are, without exception, ground-builders, and the 

 eggs are generally dark brown, or whitish, with 

 brown mottlings and speckles. Some twenty 

 genera are known, among which are the desert 

 larks (Certhilauda), remarkable for their long 

 curved bill, the calandra larks (Melanocorypha), 

 the short- toed larks (Calandrella), the crested 



larks (Galerita), the wood-larks (Lullula), and the finch-larks (Pyr- 

 rhulauda). 



Like the larks, the wagtails and pipits are " ambulatores," or walking 

 birds. They do not hop like sparrows and finches. They resemble the 

 larks in one peculiarity, viz. the extreme elongation of the 

 inner secondaries, which are as long as the primary quills. 

 The Motacillidce have not the planta tarsi scutellated as in 

 the larks, and they have only nine primaries, the first one 

 being absent. In many of the larks, however, the bastard- 

 primary is present, but is so tiny as almost to defy detection. 



Fig. 102. THE SKYLARK 

 (Alunda arvensis). 



The Wagtails 



and Pipits. 



Family 



Motacillidce. 



