628 MR- R B. SHARPJE ON THE [Nov. 17, 



8. Ammomanes erythrochlamys. 



Alauda erythrochlamys, Strickl. Contr. Orn. 1852, p. 151 ; Gray, 

 Hand-1. B. ii. p. 118 (1870) ; Sharpe. Cat. Afr. B. p. 72 (1871) ; 

 Gurney in Anderss. B. Dam. Ld. p. 194 (1872). 



Megalophonus erythrochlamys, Ayres, Ibis, 1874, p. 103, pi. iii. 

 fig. 2. 



Adult male in winter plumage. Above uniform pale fawn-colour, 

 with indistinct shaft-stripes of dull rufous on some of the feathers of 

 the head and back ; wing-coverts pale fawn, like the back, but with 

 pale yellowish buff margins to the feathers ; quills pale brown, 

 broadly margined with fawn-colour, the secondaries more broadly, 

 the innermost being coloured like the wing-coverts and margined in 

 the same manner with yellowish buff; tail dark brown, narrowly 

 margined with fulvous fawn-colour, occupying the entire outer web 

 of the last tail-feathers, and running round the tip and up the margin 

 of the inner web of this and the penultimate feather ; the two centre 

 feathers bleached fawn-colour, paler than the back ; lores, feathers 

 below and above the eye, forming an eyebrow, and cheeks white, the 

 ear-coverts pale fawn-colour like the back ; under surface of body 

 creamy white, washed with fawn-colour on the sides of the body, the 

 chest spotted with triangular markings of pale brown ; thighs pale 

 fawn ; under tail-coverts creamy white ; under wing-coverts buffy 

 whitish, the greater series pale ashy brown, the outer plumes fawn- 

 coloured ; inner lining of wing also pale ashy brown, inclining to 

 pale fawn-colour at base of inner web. Total length 6"5 inches, cul- 

 men 0"75, wing 3 - 6, tail 2 - 8, tarsus 1*05. 



Summer plumage. The summer dress is different from the winter, 

 and is of much rarer occurrence in collections ; indeed I have only 

 seen one example, the one figured by Mr. Ayres (£. c), which differs 

 in the following particulars : — ■ 



a. In being deeper cinnamon above, the quills and coverts all being 

 edged with the same dark colour. 



b. In having the tail broadly edged and tipped with cinnamon 

 rufous, the outermost feathers not paler- margined, the two centre 

 ones being almost entirely cinnamon, with a broad streak of greyish 

 black down the middle. 



c. In having a greyish shade on the hind neck, which is not seen 

 in the winter dress. 



d. In having the lores, eyebrow, sides of face and underparts 

 generally washed with yellowish ; and 



e. In having more numerous and more distinct brown spots on the 

 chest. 



Young. Appears to differ from the adult only in having a few 

 whitish tips to the feathers of the head and scapulars, the wing- 

 coverts and quills being also much paler-edged. 



Hab. From the Transvaal (summer) to Damara Land (winter). 



This species is very closely allied to A. ferruginea, from which it 

 differs in its smaller size and slightly more vinous cinnamon-colour. 

 The female differs from the male in having a thinner and more slender 

 bill ; but the males do not seem to approach A. ferruginea ; nor does 



