648 MR. R. B. SHARPE ON THE [Nov. 17, 



d, e, <$ £. Objimbinque, Damara Land, July 30th & 31st, 1866 

 (C. J. Andersson). f ? . Objimbinque, Aug. 4th, 1866 (C. J. A.), 

 g, 3 . Ombujavahami, July 6th, 1866 (C. J. A.). 



E mus. Brit. : — a, $ ad. Koonguip River, Great Namaqua 

 Land, July 12th, 1871 (C. J. A.), b, S ad. Hountop River, Great 

 Namaqua Land, June 3rd, 1862 (C. J. A.). 



Emus.H. B. Tristram: — a, <$. Objimbinque, July 16th, 1866 

 (C. J. A.), b, 6. Ombujavahami, July 8th, 1866 (C. J. A.). 



19. MlRAFRA AFRICANOIDES. 



Mirafra africanoides, Smith, Rep. Exp. S. Afr. p. 47 (1836) ; id. 

 111. Zool. S. Afr. pi. 88. fig. 2 (1849). 



Megalophonus africanoides, Gray, Gen. B. ii. p. 382 (1844); Bp. 

 Consp. i. p. 244 (1850); Layard.B. S. Afr. p. 214 (1867) ; Gray, 

 Hand-1. B. ii. p. 122 (1870); Gurney in Anderss. B. Dam. Ld. p. 

 198(1872). 



Alauda africanoides, Sharpe, Cat. Afr. B. p. 71 (1871); Giebel. 

 Thes. Orn. p. 290 (1872). 



Adult (type of species). Above sandy rufous, with narrow black 

 shaft-stripes to the whole of the upper surface, the neck very slightly 

 inclining to greyish ; wing-coverts dark brown, with narrow blackish 

 shaft-stripes, margined with sandy rufous, inclining to fulvous on the 

 extreme edge of the feathers ; primary coverts dark brown, with 

 broad margins of sandy rufous ; quills ashy brown, rufous on the 

 outer web and very conspicuous, the inner web also rufous, but sepa- 

 rated for the entire length of the quill by the dark brown of the 

 shaft, the secondaries ashy brown, especially the innermost, which are 

 distinctly shaded with grey, all margined with sandy colour ; upper 

 tail-coverts pale ashy brown, broadly washed with whity brown ; 

 tail dark brown, the middle feathers washed with clear grey and 

 broadly margined with sandy rufous, the others narrowly and almost 

 imperceptibly edged with pale sandy, the outermost narrowly bordered 

 with whitish for the whole length of tbe outer web ; lores and feathers 

 round the eve whitish, as well as a distinct eyebrow ; feathers in front 

 of the eye dusky ; ear-coverts bright sandy rufous ; cheeks, throat, 

 and underparts generally whitish, washed with sandy isabelline on 

 the chest, the cheeks with a few indistinct dusky spots, the chest 

 sparsely marked with triangular spots of dusky black ; under wing- 

 coverts entirely rufous, as also the greater part of the inner web of 

 the quills ; " bill yellowish brown, shaded on culmen with brownish 

 red ; tarsi and toes sienna-yellow, brightened with flesh-red ; iris 

 light chestnut" (Sir A. Smith). 



Total length 6'5 inches, culmen 0'6, wing 3'65, tail 2*7, tarsus 

 1-1. 



The above description is taken from the type specimen, which is 

 still in the Museum, but appears rather worn. I have, however, 

 examples in both summer and winter plumages, which are not very 

 different. In the latter dress the bird is much more mealy and 

 sandy, whereas in summer it is bright fawn-colour ; the chest also 

 is more plainly spotted in summer, and the thighs are deep fawn- 



