1920.] of the Maroccan" Middle- Atlas.'" 291 



Fiesli plu. siiecns. wanted to determine race; general 

 colonr depends innch on feather-borders ; tlie dark centres 



1 are similar in all laccs. 



tSong cliaracteristic, idiiijuitons ; not entirely ceased by July. 



Alauda arvensis (?race). (Skylark.) 



Coll. 5 S ad. 23.5. to 29.6. ; $ ad. 12.6. (laying e.) ; 3 juv.ab. 

 14.6., 28.6. ? R. abd. Plat. N. 4 e. 4 d. 24.5. ; K 4 e. 5 d. 13.6. 



A Skylark with attenuate bill and fine crop-flecks like 

 hai'terti, but much blacker above, and Avith darker ear-coverts. 

 Whole plumage sufTused delicate pink-bufi' tinge, specially 

 noticeable on the light underside. This is not due to stain 

 and seems peculiar. Believe will prove same as breeding race 

 of S. Spain and Portugal sierras (judging from two v. poor 

 but only specns. available here), but does not at all agree 

 with description in Orn. Monatsb. 1913 of A. a, sierire Weigold, 

 which breeds in Sn. Nevada, 6000-9000 ft. Song and habits 

 as British Skylark. Nest and eggs ditto. Av. 8 e. 22' 1 mm. X 

 16"4 mm. 



[j Wanted, ivenh plumaged specns. that breed Atlas and Iberian 

 I Sierras. 



Eremophila alpestris (? atlas Whit.). (Shore-Lark.) 



Coll. 8 c? ad., 4 5 ad. 23.5. to 10.7. ; J ad.-f $ ad. + N., 2 e. 



2 d. 9.6. ; 1 juv. ab. 12.6. ? R. com. Plat. 

 Almost certaiidy atlas (a specn. sent to Sicily to compare 



with type). 



N. of 9.6. prob. second laying. My first acq. Avith Plateau, 

 23.5; shot 5 carrying " stonefly," obv. to young. From bare 

 breast, think d shares incub. N. on a small earthy fiat ; few- 

 stones ; had held water too late in year to grow herbage. A 

 detached root of dwarf cistus had here become partially em- 

 bedded in the floor ; under it the birds had apparently made 

 an earth-mound, with a crater in it to contain the fairly 

 substantial nest (of dry wiry pieces grass, rootlets and vegetable 

 down, with shallow ciip) in it, and added a front doorstep 

 of some 50 pebl)les, like a Blackchat. Whole site, root-canopy, 

 and all, v. like that of an JUemon akmdipes found P. Sudan, 

 1914. Birds always near, or on similar bare flats, often v. 

 stony. Never heard one utter a sound of any sort or make any 

 courting display. Young ab. always hid in long grass after 

 first lise with parents ; 3 apparently max. brood, perhaps only 2. 



u2 



