164 ALAUDlNjE. 



Male, 6f, . . , 3 T 2 ^, T T , jf, T V, T V Female, 6. 



This species, generally dispersed over the Continent, where 

 the other is not met with, has been found in a few instances 

 in the south-eastern parts of England. The first specimen was 

 obtained, in October 1834, near Colchester, by Mr H. Double- 

 day. I have compared numerous specimens of both species, 

 and find intermediate shades of colour. As in the case of the 

 two Wagtails, M. Temminck considers them merely as races. 



Yellow Wagtail. Blue-headed Wagtail. 



Motacilla flava, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 331. Motacilla flava, 

 Temm. Man. d'Ornith. i, 260. Budytes flava, Blue-headed 

 Quake tail, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, ii. 208. 



FAMILY XX. ALAUDINJE. ALAUDINE 

 BIRDS, OR LARKS. 



Body moderately stout or slender ; neck rather short ; 

 head oblong, of ordinary size. Bill short, straight, some- 

 what conical, nearly as high as broad at the base, slightly 

 compressed ; upper mandible with its dorsal line deflected 

 and slightly convex, the ridge narrow, the nasal sinus 

 long and anteriorly rounded, the edges without notch, the 

 tip rather acute ; lower mandible with the angle rather 

 narrow, the dorsal line very slightly convex, the tip ra- 

 ther acute ; the gape-line straight. Mouth rather nar- 

 row ; tongue of moderate length, narrow, at the base 

 emarginate and papillate, the tip slit, and terminated by 

 two small, bristly tufts ; oesophagus of moderate width, 

 nearly uniform ; proventriculus oblong ; stomach a re- 

 markably powerful gizzard, of a roundish form, somewhat 

 compressed, with thick lateral muscles, large tendons, 

 and dense rugous epithelium, which is much thicker and 

 nearly smooth opposite the muscles ; intestine of mode- 

 rate length, rather wide ; co3ca very small, cylindrical ; 

 rectum gradually dilated. Nostrils elliptical, basal, ante- 

 riorly marginate. Eyes of moderate size, eyelids feather- 

 ed. Aperture of ear, large, roundish. Feet of moderate 

 length; tarsus slender, compressed, with seven or eight dis- 



