MY LAST NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF SIND. 



185 



bad every opportunity of examining it carefully, and if it had 

 not been for the bad light (for it was getting dusk at the 

 time) I should have been able to have settled what it was. 

 However, now that a Brown Linnet has been found in Sind, 



I feel the more confident 

 that species. 



that the bird I saw did belong to 



767. — Alauda gulgula, Frankl. 



The Indian Sky Lark is not uncommon about Hyderabad 

 during the autumnal months, but I fancy that after the crops 

 are cut and the grass disappears it leaves us. 



It reminds one much of the English Sky Lark in the way 

 it rises into the air in the early morning, often to an immense 

 height, singing melodiously the whole time, and it returns to 

 the ground too just like A. arvensis, descending slowly after 

 its song is finished for a short distance with outspread tail 

 and wiugs, and then suddenly closing both, it drops like a 

 stone to the ground to join its mate. 



The note, though nothing like as powerful as Alauda arvensis, 

 is rich and lark-like. 



769. — Gralerida cristata, Lin. 



As regards this species I am strongly inclined to think that 

 if there are not two distinct species of Crested Lark in Sind 

 there are certainly two races. The bird I got in Karachi, 

 which is common, remaius there the whole year round, and 

 breeds there during the hot weather, is a considerably smaller 

 bird than the bird I have lately noticed about Hyderabad, and 

 which arrives apparently about September with the other birds 

 of passage, and which I believe to be only a seasonal visitant. 

 The great difference in size at once struck my eye, and it 

 occurred to me, when I saw the first one running along the 

 ground, that it was a Melanocorypha. However, I append 

 measurements of both birds, and having forwarded skins of 

 each also to Mr. Hume, I must leave our worthy Editor * to 

 clear up the subject. The subjoined measurements were all 

 taken by myself in the flesh, and the birds were in every 

 instance in full plumage : — 



Sex. 



Female 



Male 



Female 



Male 



Length. 

 687 

 7-25 

 675 

 6-62 

 7-50 

 7 62 

 7o 



Wing. 

 375 

 4 



375 

 350 

 4-25 

 4-43 

 437 



Tail. 

 231 

 262 

 237 

 2 25 



Bill at front. B%. 

 •5 -81 



•71 

 •02 

 ■02 

 ■62 



•87 

 •73 

 •81 

 •87 

 •81 

 •81 



Expanse. Locality. 



12 ") 



13 , r £ Karachi. 



122b 

 12-12 

 1387 •) 

 14-25 y 

 14 





Hyderabad. 



* See remarks, L, 214, et seq. 



