650 i The Sparrow-like Birds 



weather comes on they congregate in small parties and may be observed fre- 

 quently dusting in the sand. Their nest is of the usual type of grasses and 

 plant stems placed in a slight depression on the ground. 



Closely allied but larger and darker plumaged is the Long-billed Calandra 

 Lark (M. maxima] of the higher portions of Sikhim and Tibet, where it fre- 

 quents marshy meadows, collecting in winter in large flocks. Also similar to 

 the first, but lacking the white tips to the secondaries and the white on the tail- 

 feathers, is the Eastern Calandra Lark (M. bimaculata}. It occurs in north- 

 eastern Africa, Persia, and central Asia, being a winter visitor to many portions 

 of India. Its habits and loud, sweet song are similar to those of its near rela- 

 tive. Quite distinct, however, is the Black Lark (M. yeltoniensis] of the desert 

 steppes of central Asia, the male being jet-black throughout, the upper parts 

 with a few sandy margined feathers, while the female is pale sandy brown 

 above and white below, the throat and breast spotted, and the flanks streaked 

 with brownish. During summer they are spread in pairs over this inhospitable 

 area engaged in rearing their young, but on its completion they gather in large 

 flocks and wander about, frequenting especially the brackish districts, and with 

 severe weather they appear in southern Russia, and are there often observed 

 on highroads and near houses. The call note of this species is low and piping, 

 while its song is said to bear some resemblance to that of the Skylark, though it 

 is not so powerful. 



The Short-toed Larks (Calandrella), so called from the fact that the hind 

 toe with its claw is very short, are inhabitants of sandy and barren open places, 

 and have much the appearance and habits of the Horned Larks. They are, 

 however, of small size and have a short, deep bill and long wings in which there 

 are but nine obvious primaries, while the tertiaries are greatly lengthened. The 

 common species (C. brachydactyla) is a well-known bird in central and southern 

 Europe, and it also occurs in North Africa and in Asia as far east as Lake Baikal, 

 many passing the winter in India. It is a tame and confiding bird, affecting 

 sandy plains in summer, but in winter it congregates in large flocks and ranges 

 far and wide. Its food consists largely of seeds. Its song, Mr. Dresser says, 

 "is short and not of a high quality, and is uttered either when the bird is on the 

 wing or when perched on a clod or stone." The coloration of the Short-toed 

 Lark is sandy brown streaked with blackish brown above and white beneath, 

 the breast washed with buff and bordered by two patches of blackish brown ; 

 the quills are blackish brown, the outer web of the first one edged with creamy 

 white, and the tail is similar to the wings, but has the outer feathers tipped and 

 margined with buffy or white. 



Other Species. There are other members of the family, such as the Finch 

 Larks (Ammomanes), so named from the thick, Finch-like bill, the Bush Larks 

 (Mirafra), which frequent well-wooded districts and commonly perch on bushes 

 and low trees, and the Sand Larks (Alaudula), which make their home especially 

 along the sandy banks of rivers, but as they do not greatly differ, either in plu- 

 mage or habits from those already described, we may close our account of the 

 group. 



