318 THE BIRDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 



where the Kan-su mountains acquire the character of meadows with some 

 marshes. Similar marshes, which are rather numerous about Koko-nor and 

 in North Tibet, form the exclusive habitat of the present species, which does 

 not occur in the Tsaidam marshes, as they have a different character. 



At Koko-nor, as also in Northern Tibet, these Larks are very common, 

 and have been seen in winter in flocks of hundreds or more, whilst usually 

 they keep in small companies of from five to ten in number. 



From the middle of March the males commence singing, usually sitting 

 on some rising ground, with the tail up, and constantly fluttering their 

 wings ; but in fine weather they occasionally rise singing in the air. Their 

 notes are very loud ; and often the song of other birds is imitated ; sometimes 

 one of these birds will whistle like a Snipe, or imitate a Duck, Sandpiper, &c. 

 Its flight is wavy, like that of M. mongoUca, and rather fast. We did not 

 succeed in observing its breeding, as early in April we had already left the 

 shores of Koko-nor. The basin of this lake forms the northern, and most 

 likely also the eastern boundary of the distribution of M. maxima^ which has 

 not been observed in China proper. 



Measurements : — 









Length. 



Width. Wing. 



Tail. 





in. in. 



in. in. in. in. 



in. in. 



s. . 



. 9-4-10 



175-18 5-74-6-13 



3-56-366 



2. . 



. 8-5-9 



15-5-165 5-36-5-5 



300-3-8 





Gape. Tarsus. 



Hind claw. 





in. 



in. in. in. 



in. in. 



S. 



. . rii- 



-1-24 11 2-1-18 



0-75-0-9 



2. 



. . 104- 



-106 1-10-113 



0-76-0-83 



Young birds in autumn plumage have a yellow-edged throat, usually, 

 however, not very bright ; this yellow colour disappears by the spring, 

 through rubbing-off^ of the feathers ; also the crop of the young is marked 

 with indistinct dark spots. 



