124 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



282. AlitilUS OampestriS, Bechst.; A. Rufescena, 

 Temm. ; A Rufus, VieiL, PI. EnL 661, f. 2 ; Gould's 

 B. of Eur., PI. 137 ; Alauda Montana, GmeL 



GENERAL colour above, brown, much mottled, the edges of 

 th feathers being very light ; under parts whitish, tinged 

 with reddish ; breast mottled with dark-brown spots ; outer 

 pair of tail-feathers on each side more or less white ; the 

 centre pair of the colour of the back, the rest dark-brown. 

 Length, 7" 6'" ; wing, 3" 6'" ; tail, 3". 



Sent with No. 226 by Capt. Bulger. Mr. Victoria also seems to 

 have found it at the Knysna. 



233. AnthUS Amelise; Macronyx Amelia, De 

 Tarragon Mag. de Zool., 1845 ; Ibis. Vol., 1862, 

 p. 28. 



ABOVE, lark-like, variegated with brown ; throat, chest, and 

 belly, salmon-coloured ; a narrow dark-brown collar extends 

 from the bill across the throat, more or less broken by the 

 spots on the chest ; vent, cinereous brown, spotted ; two 

 outer tail-feathers white. 



The above description is taken from the Plate in Mr. G. R. Gray's 

 " Genera of Birds, 5 ' as the species has never occurred to me ; nor 

 have I access to any work wherein it is described. Mr. Ayres (Ibis, 

 loc. cit.) says it is found along the coast of Natal, on marshy flats. 



The Second Family, TURDID2E, or 

 Thrushes, 



have the bill of various lengths, and more or less strong, with 

 the culraen generally keeled, curved, and the sides compressed 

 to the tip, which is emarginated ; the nostrils lateral, basal, 

 and generally protected by a membranous scale ; the wings 

 more or less long, and rounded or pointed; the tail mostly of 

 moderate length ; the tarsi re ore or less short, and usually 

 covered with transverse scales ; the toes of various lengths, 

 with the outer toe generally longer than the inner one. 



The Sub-Family, TURDINJE, or Thrushes, 



have the bill as long as or longer than the head, and strong, 

 with the culrnen curved, and the sides compressed to the tip, 

 which is generally emarginated ; the nostrils lateral and 

 placed in a small groove, with the opening exposed; the 

 wings moderate, with the first quill very short, the third and 



