98 REMAKES ON SOME SPECIES RECENTLY 



Native Sikkim) there is also a third species ( Calandrella minor), of 

 which I have obtained a single specimen from Sultanpoor near 

 Delhi. A fine adult .female, so exactly resembling Dresser's 

 figure and description, that I cannot doubt that I have cor- 

 rectly identified it. This is distinguished from the others by 

 its small size, wing, 3*4 ; tail, 2'1 ; and by the conspicuous, 

 strongly marked and abundant, though fine, spotting on the 

 breast. 



From brachydactyla this spotting at once separates it ; from 

 pispoletta ( —tibetana, Brooks), the grey color of the latter at 

 once distinguishes it, its own color being a regular lark buff 

 or fawn (I refer to the upper surface) marked with brown. 



There remains C. heinii (=pispoletta, apud Dresser) which 

 in general tone of coloring it a good deal resembles, and with 

 which it agrees in being spotted on the breast, but heinii is 

 somewhat paler and less rufous, and the wing in heinii 

 varies from 3'7 to fully 4*0. The spottings or streakings on 

 the breast in heinii are larger, coarser, and less numerous. 

 Minor, moreover, has a very conspicuous buffy white superci- 

 lium extending almost from the nostrils to the nape, whereas 

 there is scarcely a trace of this in heinii. 



In the true pispoletta (tibetana, Brooks), the elongated 

 tertiaries extend quite to the end of the longest primary, 

 in some specimens exceed it by a hair's breadth, whereas in 

 the birds I call heinii they fall short of the longest primary 

 by 075 inch or even more ; in minor they appear, judging by 

 my single specimen, to fall short by 0*4. 



In both pispoletta and heinii the outer web of the outer tail 

 feather is white, while in minor it is distinctly pale rufous 

 fawn. I forgot to mention that in heinii the tail seems to 

 vary from 2*3 to 2*5, so that, while the wing is longer, the tail 

 is shorter than in the bird that, following v. Homeyer, I call 

 pispoletta. 



I must say that comparing Pallas' original description 

 Z. R. A., I., 526, with the two birds pispoletta (=tibetana, 

 Brooks) and heinii (—pispoletta apud Dresser) I entertain little 

 doubt that v. Homeyer's identification is correct, and that 

 the ashy grey bird, " magisque cinerascente" is the true pispoletta. 



If Von Homeyer is right then I fear Mr. Brooks' name 

 must be suppressed ; but if Dresser is right, and C. heinii 

 of Homeyer is the true pispoletta, then probably the name 

 tibetana will stand, as I cannot find that any other name has 

 been applied to it, it having apparently been generally accepted, 

 to judge from their remarks, by Russian and German ornitholo- 

 gists as the true pispoletta. Certainly the measurements of tho 

 tail given by Radde can apply only to the grey bird. 



