1874.] LARKS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA. 647 



brown centres to the feathers, the head with rather paler sandy 

 margins ; the hind neck distinctly inclining to ashy, and separating 

 the head from the back ; scapulars blackish in centre, with very 

 broad margins of sandy rufous on each side ; wing-coverts coloured 

 like the back, with concealed blackish centres to the feathers, which 

 are margined with sandy, shading off into fulvous on the extreme 

 edge, the greater series more broadly margined, the primary coverts 

 more narrowly ; quills blackish, the primaries narrowly tipped with 

 greyish white and margined externally with sandy rufous, the secon- 

 daries much more broadly, and bordered with fulvous on their extreme 

 edge; upper tail-coverts sandy rufous, inclining to brown in the centre 

 of the feathers, and narrowly tipped with greyish buff; tail black, 

 very narrowly margined and tipped with sandy buff, the centre 

 feathers broadly margined with sandy rufous, the outermost exter- 

 nally margined with a narrow edging of light sandy colour, changing 

 to white at extreme tip : lores and a tolerably plain eyebrow isabel- 

 line ; feathers in front of the eye dusky, those under it isabelline, 

 and marked with blackish ; ear-coverts dark brown, very plainly and 

 regularly streaked with sandy buff; throat and cheeks white, the 

 latter washed with isabelline on the chest and sides of the body, the 

 lower throat and chest plainly spotted with triangular markings of 

 light brown ; under wing-coverts ashy brown, the innermost washed 

 with sandy, the inner lining of the wing entirely ashy brown also, 

 excepting the base of the inner web, which inclines to sandy ; " iris 

 hazel" (I 7 . C. Atmore). Total length 65 inches, culmen - 75, wing 

 35, tail 26, tarsus 0'95. 



Adult female. Rather smaller than the male. Total length 5 - 7 

 inches, culmen - 65, wing 3'4, tail 2*3, tarsus 0*9. 



Winter plumage. I have four specimens in my own collection in 

 full winter plumage, which does not differ so much on the upper 

 surface as in some of the South-African Larks. It is much more 

 mealy and of a paler sand-colour, the grey collar round the hind 

 neck being very distinct, as well as the white eyebrow and the mar- 

 gins to the wing-coverts and quills ; under surface of body white, 

 tinged with isabelline on the chest, flanks, and thighs, the chest with 

 a few narrow streaks of pale brown, the entire lining of the wing 

 ashy, as also the wing-coverts, some of which are margined with 

 sand-colour. 



Hab. From the north-eastern districts of the Cape colony (sum- 

 mer), ranging into Damara Land (winter). 



This species is a large edition of A. sabota, to which it can hardly be 

 united by reason of its enormous bill. 



In other respects it agrees very fairly, especially in the lead- 

 coloured wing-lining. Some mistake may have arisen in the sexing 

 of the specimens, and a large series carefully collected will perhaps 

 rejoin the two species. As will be seen, however, by the specimens 

 which I have, the material at my disposal is tolerably conclusive. 



Specimens examined. 

 ■ E mus. R. B. S.: — a, b, c, S sestiv. Griqualand (T. C. Atmore). 



