120 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



varied with yellow and white ; four middle tail-feathers 

 black, the rest becoming more white as they become lateral. 

 Length, 6" 9"'. 



" Bare, and only found in ELaftraria," according to Le Vaillant ; but 

 in reality an Indian species, found also in Ceylon, where I was very 

 familiar with it. It could not, therefore, have escaped my notice if it 

 had occurred in any of the numerous collections of Cape birds which 

 I have examined. 



Genus ANTHUS, Bechstein. 



Bill more or less straight and slender, with the culmen 

 ^almost straight, or slightly curved, and the sides compressed 

 'to the tip, which is emarginated, the lateral margins straight 

 and inflexed ; the gonys long and ascending ; the nostrils 

 lateral, placed in a short, broad groove, with the opening 

 rounded, and partly closed by a membrane ; wings moderate, 

 with the first three quills equal and longest ; tail moderate, 

 and emarginated ; tarsi longer than the middle toe, rather 

 slender, and covered in front with broad, transverse scales ; 

 toes long, and rather slender ; with the lateral toes equal, 

 and the outer one slightly united at its base ; the hind toe 

 long ; the claws of the anterior toes rather short and curved, 

 and that of the hind toe very long and acute. 



223. Anthus Capensis, Linn, PL Eni, 504, Fig. 



2 ; Cuv, Vol. 6, p. 479 ; Macronyx Capensis, Swain., 

 Nat. Lib., Vol. 9, p. 216 ; L'Alouette Sentinelle, Le 

 Vail., PL 195-6; Kalkoentje of Colonists, lit. Little 

 Turkey. 



UPPER parts, variegated dark-brown, the feathers having 

 light edges ; wing and tail-feathers the same ; the edges of 

 some of the former being yellow, others white ; three outer 

 tail-feathers more or less tipped with white ; over the eye a 

 bright orange line ; from the corners of the bill rise two 

 black stripes, which extend down the sides of the chin, and 

 unite in front on the lower part of the throat ; all within 

 this is a brilliant, shining, crimson-orange ; below it the 

 centre of the breast and belly is orange ; sides and flanks 

 cinereous ; edges of shoulders bright orange ; toes very long 

 and strong, the hinder one armed with a claw 9'" long. 

 Length, 7" 9'" ; wing, 3" 9'". 



This handsome lark is common throughout all the open country of 

 the colony : it would be better to say the forest itself is the only place 

 where it is not to be found. In its habits it resembles the sky-lark, 

 except that it does not soar, sing, or congregate in flocks. Instead of 

 perching on clods of earth, such luxuries not being common in this 

 land, it mounts a white-ant's heap, and keeps a look-out for its 

 enemies from that eminence. It is usually found in pairs, and when 



