114 DESERT LABK. 



inches and one sixth; first primary one inch and one eighth, being an 

 inch and five eighths shorter than the second; the second is a quarter 

 of an inch less than the next three, which are equal; tail two inches 

 and three quarters. Bill to gape five eighths of an inch; tarsus seven 

 eighths of an inch; hind claw five sixteenths of an inch. Legs 

 brown." 



The male and female have the upper parts of a beautiful glossy- 

 dark fawn-colour, very much like that of our Almond Tumblers. 

 The feathers shine and decompose the light like shot silk. Primaries 

 and tail feathers brown, but bordered more or less deeply with the 

 prevailing isabelle tint; below, the colour, though the same, is lighter, 

 and the throat is whitish, mottled with dusky spots. Under wing 

 coverts and part of the inner webs of wing feathers below, rich silky 

 dark fawn; ends of primaries brown. There is the usual tendency to 

 form a crest of the head feathers. Beak yellowish horn-colour; feet, 

 legs, and iris clear brown. 



The young before the first moult, according to Degland, have the 

 colours brighter, with the feathers of the upper parts of the wings 

 and tail bordered with grey. 



My figure of this bird is from a female specimen shot by Mr. 

 Tristram, in the Northern Sahara, December 2nd., 1856. The egg is 

 also from a specimen taken by the same gentleman in that locality. 



The bird has been figured by Temminck and Laugier, pi. color. 

 244, fig. 2, from an Arabian specimen; and by Mr. Dresser, B. of E. 



