MELAKOCORYPHA 385 



finer, materials. The eggs, which are usually deposited in May, 

 resemble those of M. calandra but are smaller, measuring about 

 O9 by 0'67, and are as a rule greener in ground colour. 



552. WHITE-WINGED LARK. 

 MELANOCORYPHA SIBIRICA. 



MelancorypJia sibirica (Gm.), Syst. Nat. i. p. 799 (1788) ; Newton, i. 

 p. 642 ; Dresser, iv. p. 373, pi. 240 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xiil. 

 p. 557 ; Saunders, p. 257 ; M. leucoptera (Pall), Zoogr. Ross. As. 

 i. p. 518, Tab. 33, fig. 2 (1811) ; Gould, B. of Gt. Brit. iii. pi. 20 ; 

 Lilford, iv. p. 12, pi. 6. 



< ad. (Turkey). Crown, ear-coverts, lesser and median wing-coverts 

 rusty red, the hind crown striped with brown ; upper parts greyish brown 

 striped with dark brown ; upper tail-coverts ferruginous striped with dark 

 brown ; primaries and inner secondaries blackish brown margined and 

 tipped with dull white ; rest of the secondaries white ; median rectrices 

 broadly margined with rusty red, the outer one white, the next with the 

 outer web white, the rest blackish brown ; supercilium, chin, throat, and 

 under parts white, the breast indistinctly spotted with brown and the 

 flanks striped with rufous brown ; beak brownish horn -yellowish at base ;. 

 legs fleshy yellowish brown ; iris brown. Culmen 0'6, wing 4*7, tail 2'9, 

 tarsus TO inch. The female differs only in being duller in colour. 



Hob. Eastern and S. E. Europe ; Asia as far east as the 

 Yenesei, south to Transcaspia. A rare straggler to Italy, has 

 been once obtained in Heligoland, three times in Belgium, and 

 twice in the south of England. 



Frequents grassy plains and open districts, and is said to 

 resemble A. arvensis in its general habits, and like that species 

 utters its song, which is very similar but shorter, when hovering 

 in the air. Its nest is placed on the ground, in any slight 

 depression in the soil, or under a tussock or tuft of grass ; and 

 late in April or early in May 3 to 5 eggs are laid, which are 

 dirty grey, dull white or yellowish, spotted and blotched all 

 over with dull hair-brown, but in some, the markings are 

 collected and form a ring round the larger end. In size they 

 measure about O91 by 0*67. 



553. MONGOLIAN LARK. 

 MELANOCORYPHA MONGOLICA. 



Melanocoryplia mongolica (Pall.), Eeis. Kuss. Reichs, iii. p. 697 (1776) ; 

 (Radde) Eeis. Sud. Ost. Sib. Vog. ii. p. 146, Taf. iii. fig. 1 ; David 

 and Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 319, pi. 88 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xiii. 

 p. 558 ; Tacz. F. O. Sib. 0. p. 417. 



C C 



