426 Mr. M. J. 'NicoU— Contributions 



AlAUDA ARVENSIS CINEREA. 



Alaucla arvetisis Shelley, p. 139. 



This Grey Skylark was not uncommon during my visit 

 in November 1911, and was found together with the 

 following form in large mixed flocks. I saw no Skylarks 

 in March 1910, and Mr. Balboni tells me that he had not 

 met with this Lark before. 



AlAUDA ARVENSIS CANTARELLA Bp. 



Alauda arvensis Shelley, p. 139. 



Common in November 1911, and several specimens were 

 obtained. 



Calandrella brachydactyla brachydactyla. 



Culandrella hrachydactijla (Leisler), Shelley, p. 141. 

 Two forms of Short-toed Lark occur in the Wadi N'atron : 

 the typical sandy-coloured rufous-headed bird, and ihe 

 greyer form which lacks the rufous crown and has richer 

 marking in the upper parts ; the latter I refer to the form 

 next to be mentioned. 



During my first visit Short-toed Larks were extremely 

 abundant in the small patches of cultivated land. Most 

 of these appeared to belong to the darker form C. b. 

 longipennis. 



On May 28th, 1910, Mr. Balboni shot and forwarded to 

 me a fine adult female with a very rufous crown to the head, 

 in fact a typical C. b. brachydactyla. On dissection I found 

 a large incubation patch, so it is evident that the bird 

 had been nesting. This is the only instance that has come 

 under my personal notice of the Short-toed Lark nesting in 

 Egypt, but the bird may be a regular breeding species in 

 this country. 



Calandrella brachydactyla longipennis (Eversmann). 



Calandrella brachydactyla longipennis (Eversm.), Hartert, 

 Vog. d. pal. F. vol. i. p. 216. 



In March 1910 Short-toed Larks were seen daily in 

 immense flocks on the cultivated ground. Owing to the 

 little time at my disposal and the amount of other bii-ds 

 wliich at the time were of more pressing interest, I did not 



