Oniltholuyy of Corsica. "207 



on the west side and found a nest with two eggs. Parrot 

 obtained a single dark male bird, which was shot on April 

 19 near Cocame. A Lark seen in a cornfield near Aleria on 

 May 7 was aln\ost certainly of this species. 



32. LuLLULA ARBOREA FAMiLiARis Parrot. Corsican 

 Wood-Lark. 



Lullula arhnrea faniUiaris Parrot, Ornitli. Monatsber. 

 xviii. p. 153 (1910— Corsica). Cf. Hartert, Vog. pal. 

 Fauna, i. p. 242. 



Local names : Ciarcullu (north), CuchagioJa (south) ; 

 Peilda (GiglioH), generic. A common resident, not only 

 in most of the open country on the low ground, but also in 

 smaller numbers in the clearings in the forests and on the 

 hills up to over 3000 ft. Hartert was the first to point out 

 the characteristics of this local race, but had only winter- 

 killed specimens, which might have been migrants. As 

 stated by Parrot, the upper surface is darker and less rusty 

 than in the continental form, while the rump and upper tail- 

 coverts are olive-grey brown and the streaks on the breast 

 more distinct. Whitehead met with flocks in the winter 

 months, but Backhouse describes it as haunting the waste 

 ground in small parties in winter, and Parrot as usually found 

 in pairs. Apparently the breeding-season is late in Corsica, 

 for Whitehead found numbers of nests after May 13, and 

 those which I saw were taken between May 16 and 31. 

 The clutch consists of 4 or 5 eggs, on which the hen sits so 

 closely that she is sometimes caught by the natives to be 

 kept as a cage-bird. The eggs are rather variable in size, 

 but the average diff"ers little from that of the ordinary form. 

 Average size of 24 Corsican eggs, 20"94x 15*96 mm. ; max. 

 24-3 X 16-4, min. 19*4 x 16 and 20 7 x 15-2. 



33. Alauda arvensis cantarella Bp. Mediterranean 

 Skylark. 



Local name : Peuda (Giglioli), generic. Skylarks are 

 common winter visitors to Corsica, but the majority have 

 left by the end of March. Parrot, however, received a 

 female obtained on April 5, so that possibly a few pairs 



'q2 



