to the Ornithology of Egypt. 425 



Galerida cristata caroli Hartert. 



Galerida cristata Loat, Ibis, 1905^ p. 457. 



Galerida cristata caroli Hartert, Vog. d. pal. Fauna, vol. i. 

 p. 234. 



This — the most sandy-coloured Crested Lark yet known 

 from Egypt — was first described by Hartert from specimens 

 collected by the Hon. N. C. Rothschild in the Wadi Natron. 



Loat called attention to the pale coloration of the examples 

 he obtained in the Wadi. 



During my visit in March 1910 a series of eleven examples 

 were obtained, and I have little doubt that they were 

 just about to nest. At that time all those met with were 

 inhabiting the salt-encrusted desert near the edges of the 

 lakes and were very shy and difficult of approach. In 

 November 1911, when I obtained more specimens, they 

 were found for the most part either near the factory or 

 close to the native houses, and were much more easily 

 approached than in spring. 



Galerida c. caroli is not confined to the Wadi Natron 

 but inhabits the shores of the lakes in the Northern Delta, 

 extending westward at least as far as Dabaa, whence I 

 have recently received specimens collected by T. W. Russell 

 Bey, of the Alexandria Police. Dabaa is 160 miles west of 

 Alexandria, and how much farther this form extends in that 

 direction it is impossible to say at present. 



Freshly moulted examples of this Lark are greyer above 

 and more rufescent beneath than they become later, and birds 

 shot in early summer have a decidedly bleached appearance, 

 some of the feathers being nearly white. This bleaching 

 is caused, no doubt, by the salt ground which they frequent, 

 and which acts in a most marked manner on some of the 

 other Passerine birds which are resident, or which make 

 a prolonged stay, in the Wadi. 



LuLLULA arborea (Linn.). 



Alauda arborea Linn., Shelley, p. 139. 



On November 24th, 1911, Mr. Balboni and I each 

 obtained a specimen of the Woodlark from a piece of 

 ploughed ground near the factory. No others were seen. 



