400 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVIl, 



No. VIII.— THE DESERT LAEK {ALMMON DESERT ORUM). 



During the past two months, I have had the opportunity afforded me of 

 watching this bird. As nothing much appears to have been recorded about 

 its habits, I venture to commit my observations to paper as it may interest 

 others who are ornithologists. 



This is an altogether peculiar bird and although classed among the larks, 

 his habits are totally dissimilar. His habitat is the desert. He loves sand 

 and is to be fomid in desolate places, where he runs about, at a considerable 

 pace, over dunes and hummocks. He seldom takes to flight, preferring 

 to footslog. In the non-breeding season, I believe he is silent. When the 

 mating season comes romid, he starts displaying. Before doing this, he runs 

 up to the top of a hummock. On arriving, he utters two notes, very like 

 a warning ; he then utters three more, not quite so loudly ; after this he 

 runs forward three or four feet and then springs up into the air, sort of 

 slantwise, and utters four or five more notes, which brings him to the 

 top of his flight, when he descends to earth again, as though " side " 

 slipping. He shows off his wings and opens his tail out, in fact makes as 

 much display as he can of his beauty. The song is very pretty and the whole 

 show delightful to watch. He does not rise more than 15 or 20 feet. On des- 

 cending, he again mounts a hummock and continues the display at short 

 intervals. 



In order to find his nest, the best method to pursue is to get on to his haunts. 

 On arrival one just stands and listens. If he is displaying, his voice will soon 

 be heard. This must be followed till he is seen. If there is a nest about 

 it is perfectly easy to find, for after each display, he returns to the same 

 hummock, all that then remains to be done is to search round all the 

 hummocks in the vicinity, where it is sure to be discovered. If there is no nest, 

 he does not return to the same hummock to display, but rims along to another 

 and so on. 



In this manner I have discovered 5 nests this season and will endeavour tO' 

 describe them. 



On the 26th April, I came on a cock displaying . I stood and watched him. 

 Almost at the same moment, to my delight, I saw the hen running along quite 

 close by with building material. I hardly had time to realize it, when she 

 flew a little distance to the foot of a hummock, on which was a low tamarisk 

 bush and hopped on to it. I had found the nest. The nest was placed on 

 the bush about a foot or so off the gromid. First of all there was a regular 

 platform on which the nest proper was built. This was a good solid affair, 

 well finished off with a deep cup, bound with soft material. The whole must have 

 been nearly 12 inches deep and a good 9 inches across. There was no effort to 

 conceal the nest. It simply hit you in the face. Nothing could be less lark- 

 like ! On visiting the nest a week after I found it deserted, much to my disgust. 



On the 9th May, pm'suing the same method I fomid another. This was 

 exactly similar to the other in structuie but it was placed on the ground among 

 some coarse grass on a hummock. There was no difficulty in finding it as it 

 was so conspicuous. On the 11th I got three fresh eggs from it. 



On the 25th May, I found two more nests being built. These were identi- 

 cal with that found on the 11th, viz., placed on a hummock, on coarse grass 

 and absolutely visible. On the 31st May, I got two eggs from one. I was 

 afraid to leave them in case they might disappear. On visiting the other it 

 was found to have been buried in the sand and was invisible. After the 

 25th May, heavy rain had fallen and apparently water had come down and 

 gone over it, burying it. However, I was lucky enough to find that the birds- 



