from Deelfontein, Cape Colony. 3(53 



The specimen in breeding-plumage is very dark and has 

 the spots on the chest very distinct ; the bill is also horny 

 blackish throughout. The young bird is full-grown and in 

 good plumage; the date seems somewhat remarkable for it 

 not to have moulted into its adult winter dress. 



117. Pyrrhulauda australis. 



Pyrrhulauda australis (Smith*) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard, p. 402 

 (1875-81); id. Cat. B. xiii. p. 651 (1900) ; Stark, Faun. 

 S. Afr., Birds, i. p. 194 (1900); Shelley, B. Afr. iii. p. 76 

 (1902). 



a-e. S ad. Deelfontein, Feb. 23-28, 1902. Bill bluish 

 white ; feet brownish white ; iris red. 



/, g. ? ad. etjuv. Deelfontein, Feb. 12, 28, 1902. The 

 old female had the soft parts like those of the males. 



h-m. <$ juv.; n, o,p. ? ad. Deelfontein, March 23, 1902. 

 Iris rich reddish brown. 



q, r. £ ad. Deelfontein, May 25, 1902. Bill slaty white; 

 feet dark slate-coloured ; iris reddish brown. 



s, t. $ ad. etjuv. Deelfontein, June 14, 15, 1892. 



The adult males killed in February seem to be in some- 

 what worn plumage, but apparently arc not moulting. One 

 specimen only has rather broad sandy-rufous edgings to the 

 wing-coverts and secondaries. In May and June the birds are 

 changing into winter-plumage, and the adult males are recog- 

 nisable by the blacker crown, which is a little obscured by 

 sandy-rufous edgings to the feathers. The young males have 

 streaked heads like the females, but are blacker below, and 

 when the black breast is assumed there arc a few remains 

 of hoary-whitish edges to the feathers. Young males at 

 first resemble old females and are streaked or spotted 

 below. One old male shot on the 25th of May has a white 

 nuchal patch ! 



[These little Finch- Larks were very common all the year 

 round, and occurred in large and small nocks. When the 

 mid-day sun was hottest they hid under the larger bushes 

 of the veldt, but we never discovered one of their nests. 

 They fed on the same small black seed as the Sand-Grouse.] 



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