2.04 Contributions to the Ornithology of India, Sfc, 



stouter^ but the bird itself is somewhat smaller ; the larg-est 

 male I have seeu^ measured' (in the fleshy) leng-th, 8 ; expanse, 

 12; wing-, 3"7j bill at front, 0*7 nearly, and weighed one oz. 

 Both these species have comparatively Short hard claws, say 

 averaging- (measured) straight from root to point, about 0'4. 

 The claws vary of course to a certain extent according to in- 

 dividuals, but I think that, as a whole, the claw in simills is de- 

 cidedly deeper, and more curved than in Jerdoni. 



605 Us. — Anthus spinoletta, Lin. A. aquatims,. 

 JBechst. A. montanus, Koch. A. testacea, Pallas. 



This species, or at any rate our Indian representative thereof, 

 which Mr. Verreaux considered absolutely identical with the 

 European one, (an opinion from which I have seen no grounds 

 for differing) is not at all uncommon in the Western Punjab, 

 and in Northern Sindh where it is often met with in the 

 neighbourhood of canals and streams. I obtained it on the 

 banks of the Indus, at Mittencote, near Jacobabad, Shikarpore, 

 and Mehur ; but I did not notice it south of Sehwan. In the 

 cold weather plumage it is not very unlike AnfJms arloreus ; 

 but may be distinguished at once by its longer, slenderer, and 

 more pointed bill ; by its dark brown legs and feet ; by its 

 much more elongated and more compressed hind claw, and by 

 the narrowness of the breast spots. In summer plumage, 

 in which we obtain it in March, the comparatively uniform grey 

 brown tint of the upper surface, and the almost entirely unspotted 

 pale rufous tint of the lower surface, a tint tending towards vina- 

 ceous, are sufficient to distinguish it. Besides, the localities already 

 mentioned, I have it from Mooltan, Lahore, Goorgaon, Feroze- 

 pore, Etawah, andtheinteriorof the Simla Hills near Koteghur. 



This species is not included in Dr. Jerdon''s birds of India ; 

 I first brought its occurrence to notice, some years ago, in the 

 Ihis ; but I do not think that any description of the Indian bird 

 has yet appeared. I give dimensions from several specimens taken 

 in the flesh, noting that the females are somewhat smaller than 

 the males. Male, length, 6-75 to 7-35 ; expanse, 11 to 11-25; 

 wing, 3"46 to 3-6; bill at front, 0*45 to 0-53; hind toe and 

 claw, 0' 7 to nearly 0-8; weight, nearly 1 oz. Female, ' length, 

 6-37 to 6-62; wing, 3-15 to 3-3; expanse, 9-5 to 10*5; bill at 

 front, 0'45 to 0'5j hind toe and claw, 0'7 to 0*75; weight, 

 0-63 to 0-8 oz. 



In all the specimens the legs and feet .are at least darh brown, 

 in some birds they are almost black; the soles are yellowish; the 

 claws, black ; the bill is dark horny brown, j^ellowish at base of 

 lower mandible; bill, legs, and feet are all darker, I 



