38 The ShylarTcs of India. 



just beginning- to appear^ and it is in the somewhat darker stag-e 

 often observable; in other respects it is pretty correct, and 

 corresponds exactly with some specimens I possess. It was pro- 

 bably killed, I shovdd say, in July, as the yellow at the base of 

 the bill so prominently shewn in the drawing, disappears in the 

 autumn, and as it does so, the black frontal band developes, and 

 the legs turn from brown to black. 



This species is so excessively variable in size and appearance, 

 that without a good series to examine, it is difficult to under- 

 stand it. The biggest birds are nearly 9 inches in length ; the 

 smallest, less than 7 inches ; the wings vary from 4"25 to 

 5'25 inches; the variation of the bills I have already noted, 

 while the hind claw varies from 0"3 to very nearly 0"6 

 inch; but big and little birds come from all localities and 

 intermediate sizes occur, so that for my part I entertain no sort 

 of doubt that, despite variation in size and plumage, all are re- 

 ferable to one and the same species, which peoples, at any rate 

 from Afghanistan to Bhutan, all the dreary Himalayan wastes 

 lying between 13,000 and 17,000 feet in height, whenever and 

 wherever a little moss and a trickling stream is to be found. 

 I may here note that Mr. Blyth was mistaken {Ihis, 1867, 

 p. 47,) in saying that he had received two pairs of this species 

 from Dr. Jerdon, procured in the desert country north-toest of 

 Delhi. This species never descends any where near the plains, 

 and Dr. Jerdou's specimens, of which he gave me one, which I 

 still have, were obtained high up in Cashmere. 



A. O. H. 



®|e Skgtelis d IttMa. 



Our Indian Skylarks appear to me to deserve more careful 

 study than has yet been apparently bestowed upon them. Most 

 of all, a really large collection of specimens made in all parts of 

 ludia, with the sexes and dates on which they were prociired duly 

 recorded, is a desideratum ; and I should feel very much obliged to 

 any of my numerous correspondents who would, during the next 

 year, endeavour to procure me good series in their immediate 

 neighbourhood. Until two or three hundred specimens are 

 brought together in one museum, and carefully collated, I think 

 it will be impossible to come to any certain conclusions in regard - 

 to this group. At present, so far as my own limited collection en- 

 ables me to judge, I am disposed to believe that we have only 

 two good species. 



