454 



ALAUDID.E. 



wood-brown, spotted with dark brown ; belly and under 

 tail-coverts pale yellowish white, tinged with brown on 

 the thighs and flanks ; the legs, toes, and claws, brown ; 

 the middle toe rather long ; the claw of the hind toe very 

 long, straight at the base and for half its length, then 

 slightly curved. 



The whole length of an adult male seven inches and a 

 quarter. From the carpal joint to the end of the wing 

 four inches and a half; the first feather short, the second 

 shorter than the third, which is the longest in the wing. 



The female is a little smaller than the male, and rather 

 darker in colour. 



Broad edgings to the great wing-coverts, and a black 

 spot with a white tip at the lanceolate ends of the smaller 

 coverts, bespeak the young bird ; these markings are lost 

 at the first moult, which begins in August. 



The vignette below represents the breast-bone and the 

 foot of the Sky Lark of the natural size. 



