AMMOMANES 397 



AMMOMANES, Cab., 1850. 



565. DESERT-LARK. 

 AMMOMANES DESERTI. 



Ammomanes deserti (Licht.), Verz. Doubl. p. 28 (1823) ; Dresser, iv 

 p. 329, pi. 233 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xiii. p. 646 ; A.phwnicur- 

 oides (Blyth), J. A. S. Beng. xxii. p. 583 (1853) ; Sharpe, torn. cit. 

 p. 647 ; A. fraterculus Tristr., P.Z.S. 1864, p. 431 ; A. algeriensis ; 

 Sharpe, torn. cit. p. 645. 



ad. (Egypt). Upper parts varying from warm rufescent isabelline 

 to greyish sandy isabelline ; supercilium indistinct, sandy isabelline ; 

 quills and tail brown externally, margined with sandy rufous, the middle 

 tail-feathers like the back ; under parts pale isabelline, the throat some- 

 times with indistinct darker markings ; legs pale greenish slate ; iris- 

 brown. Culmen 0'6, wing 3'9, tail 2 - 8, tarsus 0*85 inch. Sexes alike. 

 The young bird is generally more rufous, and has the basal portion and 

 the margins of all the tail feathers pale ferruginous, with only the terminal 

 portion dark brown. 



Hctb. North Africa, south to Abyssinia; Palestine, east to 

 Afghanistan, Sind, and the northern Punjab. 



Essentially a desert bird it is usually to be found in sandy, 

 wild localities where its plumage assimilates in colour with the 

 soil. In its general habits it most nearly resembles the Crested 

 Lark and is often to be found seeking its food on the roads. 

 Its flight is weak and it seldom flies any distance. Its song is 

 agreeable but not varied and is uttered when the bird is on the 

 wing, often at a considerable altitude. Its food consists of 

 seeds of various kinds and insects. Its nest, which is loosely 

 constructed of grass-bents, is placed on the ground, under a 

 low bush or a tuft of grass, and the eggs 3 or 4 in number 

 are deposited in April or May, and are creamy grey or white, 

 closely marked with purplish grey shell-markings and dull 

 brown surface-spots and measure about 0*87 by 0'62. 



In general coloration the species varies from rufous to 

 greyish rufous, and the latter variety has been separated by 

 several authors under the name Ammomanes fraterculus, but it 

 seems to me without just reason. Nor can I recognise A. 

 algeriensis which is the rufous form, as distinct. A. phcenic- 

 uroides from India belongs to the grey form, and has the quills 

 narrowly margined with warm ashy fulvous, and not so rufous as 



