alaudin^:. 419 



The Red-winged Bush-lark. 



Descr. — Upper parts streaked, the centres of the feathers being- 

 dusky brown, and the edges light fulvous brown, rufescent on the 

 head ; coronal feathers lengthened ; a whitish eyestreak ; ear 

 feathers rufescent-brown ; beneath, the throat is pure white, and 

 the rest of the plumage pale fulvescent-whitish ; the breast marked 

 with large oval blackish spots ; primaries and secondaries ferrugi- 

 nous on both webs, except towards the tip, the dusky portion 

 gradually increasing to the outermost feather ; tail blackish, the 

 four middle feathers brown and the outermost only whitish on its 

 outer web. 



Bill horny fleshy ; feet fleshy ; irides dark brown, Length bh 

 inches ; wing 3 T 2 n ; tail 2 ; bill at front t *q ; tarsus |£ ; hind claw 

 T 3 ^ ; the bill is thick ; the 1st quill § inch long ; the 2nd ^ of an 

 inch shorter than the 3rd, 4th, and 5th, which are about equal. 



This species, though very similar to the last, is readily distin- 

 guished from it by its smaller size, and by the rufous colour extend- 

 ing over the whole of the primary quills ; also by the longer tail. 



The Bed-winged Bush-lark is found in the table-land of the 

 Deccan, extending south to the edges of the Carnatic, and it is 

 found also in the hilly district of Monghyr, where I lately procured 

 it, but I did not observe it in the intermediate Saugor district, 

 nor at Mhow in Central India. Buch. Hamilton appears to have 

 observed it, for it is figured among his drawings. It is very 

 common about Jaulnah, in low jungle. I saw it once only in the 

 Carnatic, at the foot of the Eastern Ghats, inland from Nellore ; 

 and here I found it within a mile or so of the preceding species, 

 M. affinis, but neither encroaching on the other's ground. It 

 never frequents the open plains, nor does it enter gardens and 

 enclosures like the last one, but it keeps almost exclusively to 

 low scattered jungle. It frequently perches on shrubs, whence 

 it occasionally rises a short distance in the air, and descends again 

 with outspread wings, its bright rufous quills glittering in the 

 sun. Like the others, it is found single or in pairs, never congre- 

 gating ; is a shy and wary bird, and, when observed, hides itself 

 behind a bush ; and, if followed, soon contrives to conceal 

 itself. 



