THE BIEDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 315 



species are wider, not distinctly marked, and spread over a narrower portion 

 of the breast. 



Measurements of a male from Ala-shan — length 7'''o, width 13''-5, wing 

 4''-26, tail 2"-75, tarsus 0"-88, culmen 0"-7, gape 0"' 88, distance between the 

 root of the upper mandible and the tip of the crest l"'5. 



The present species has been found by us in S.E. Mongoha, Ordos, and 

 Ala-shan. It does not occur in Gobi, Kan-su, Koko-nor, and Northern 

 Tibet, but is very common in the Hoang-ho valley and the Ala-shan desert, 

 near Mongohan settlements and wells. In S.E. Mongolia it is scarcer than 

 in the two above-mentioned locahties, and keeps to the ploughed fields in 

 the neighbourhood of mountains. In its habits and voice it quite resembles 

 its European representative ; at least, we could not perceive any difi^erence. 



179. Alaudula cheleensis, Swinh. 



In addition to the distinctions of this species from A. pispoletta, Pall., 

 enumerated in the P. Z. S. 1871, p. 390, I must add that the longest of the 

 tertiaries covers only five primaries, the band on the breast composed 

 of black spots is narrow^er, and the markings themselves are indistinct ; 

 outer tail-feather is white, and has often, on its inner web, a large or small 

 triangular spot. In size the present species is not below A, pispoletta. The 

 sandy-coloured upper parts of the body in some specimens are much darker. 



This is the commonest Lark in S.E. Mongolia, and is also very abundant 

 in Halha, Ordos, and Ala-shan. It lives in the open steppes and valleys, but 

 also occurs on the grass-covered mountain-slopes. In wdnter it occasionally 

 assembles in large flocks, and keeps in such cases mostly to the bushes. It 

 breeds on the ground, and brings up three or four young ones. 



Its song cannot be called pleasant. When singing it does not rise very 

 high, but flies with sudden jerks, constantly drawing in and spreading its 

 wings, and then again lighting on the ground. 



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