280 ALAUDIN.E. 



with conspicuous white tips to all the feathers except the two 

 central ones ; all the rectrices edged more or less broadly with 

 fulvous ; lores and a distinct eyebrow whitish ; cheeks fulvous- 

 white with a slight mottling with rufous ; ear-coverts entirely 

 rufous ; throat, breast, and flanks, rufous ; a black pectoral gor- 

 get extending right across the lower part of the throat ; on the 

 upper part of the breast are a few indistinct mottled lines below 

 the black gorget ; under tail-coverts whitish ; undo* 1 wing-coverts 

 entirely greyish-brown, 



" Obs. Some specimens are much greyer than others ; others 

 again are more rufous ; some are more white on the belly, and 

 have the breast much obscured, so that the pectoral gorget is 

 scarcely discernible. This last dress seems to be the winter 

 plumage. 



" Young. Similar to the adult, but more rufous in the centre ; 

 gorget, more obscure, and the stripes on the upper breast more 

 indistinct." Sharpe and Dresser, Birds of Europe. 



This fine Lark occurs in Upper Sind, and in the desert east 

 of Oomercot. 



GENUS, Alaudula, Blyth. 



Bill more lengthened and slender than in the preceding 

 genera, but still rather short and thick, and slightly curved ; 

 wings moderate, with no rudimentary first primary, and the 

 first three quills longest ; tail even ; feet very small ; hind-claw 

 about the length of the toe, nearly straight, of small size. 



Alaudula raytal, Blyth. 



762. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p. 428 ; Swinhoe and 

 Barnes, Central India; Ibis, 1885, p. 130. 



THE INDIAN SAND LAEK. 

 Eetal, Hin. 



Length, 5*25 ; expanse, 8 ; wing, 3 ; tail, 175 to 2 ; tarsus, 07 ; 

 bill at front, 0'38. 



Bill pale horny ; irides brown ; legs fleshy-yellowish. 



General hue of the upper parts light brownish-ashy, with nar- 

 row dark centres to the feathers ; lower parts white, faintly 

 tinged with fulvous on the breast, where obscurely marked with 

 small spots ; wing-co\ erts and tertiaries margined with pale- 

 rufescent or whitish ; the outermost feathers white, except the 

 inner half of the inner web, and the next one is white along 

 the marginal half of its outer web only ; a whitish line through 

 the eyes. 



The Indian Sand Lark is not uncommon in the neighbourhood 

 of Neemuch, Rajputana, in the cold weather. 



Alaudula adamsi, Hume. 



. Murray's Vertebrate Zoology of Sind, p. 196. 



