380 OTOCORY8 



<$ ad. Differs from 0. elwesi in having a longer bill, in being larger in 

 size, and as a rule, less vinous in tinge of colour ; the feathers on the 

 upper parts have larger shaft streaks, and the pale parts of the head are 

 white and never yellow. Culmen P 72, wing jrO, tail 3'7, tarsus 0*95 

 inch. 



Hob. The more elevated portions of the Himalayas from 

 Kashmir and Ladak to Kumaon and the western portion of 

 Tibet. 



Frequents the more elevated portions of the Mountain 

 ranges, occurring up to an elevation of 17,000 and 18,000 feet, 

 and in general habits does not differ from 0. elwesi. 



545. SUBSP. OTOCORYS BRANDTI. 



Otocorys Irandti, Dresser, B. of E.iv. p. 402 (1874) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. 

 Mus. xiii. p. 536 ; 0. paroexi, Tacz. Bull. Soc. Zool. Fr. 1876, 

 p. 161 ; id. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 423 ; ? 0. petrophila, Severtz. J. f. 0. 

 1873, p. 379 ; 0. albigula, auctt. nee. Brandt. 



ad. (Kirghis Steppes). Differs from 0. elwesi in being smaller, 

 somewhat paler in colour and having a smaller and stouter bill. Culmen 

 0-52, wing 4'4, tail 3'3, tarsus 0'82 inch. 



Hob. The Kirghis steppes, Turkestan, the Altai Mountains 

 occurring east as far as Kiachta in the Transbaikal district. 



In general habits it resembles 0. elwesi, but appears to frequent 

 the elevated steppes and sand deserts more than the mountain 

 ranges. 



546. ALGERIAN SHORE-LARK. 

 OTOCORYS BILOPHA. 



Otocorys liloplia (Ternm.), PI. Col. iii. pi. 244, fig. 1 (1823) ; Dresser, iv. 

 p. 399, pi. 245 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xiii. p. 537 ; Krenig, 

 J. f. 0. 1895, Tab. x. ; 1896, Tab. vii. fig. 8 (eggs). 



Sebdcha, Arabic. 



< ad. (Algeria). Upper parts pale rufescent isabelline, more rufous 

 on the wing-coverts and inner secondaries ; the black on the head and 

 breast as in 0. alpestris, but the horn-like feathers are longer ; quills 

 greyish brown margined with isabelline white, the secondaries white- 

 tipped ; central rectrices like the back, the rest black, the outer feathers 

 white on the outer web ; chin, throat, and sides of the neck pure white ; 

 rest of the under parts white, the flanks washed with rufous isabelline ; 

 legs paler than in 0. alpestris. Culmen 0'55, wing 3'8, tail 2 '85, tarsus 

 0'82, hind-toe with claw 0'6 inch. The female has the black on the 

 crown replaced by dark brown, the facial patch, pectoral shield, and crown- 

 tufts smaller than in the male. 



