ALAUDI105. 433 



tarsus somewhat lengthened ; feet large ; hind claw very long ; 

 coronal feathers elongated, forming a full crest. 



766. Alauda triborhyncha, Hodgson. 



Gray, Zool. Misc. p. 84 — Alauda dulcivox, Hodgson, apud 

 Blyth, MSS. Mus. As. Soc. — A. arvensis, Auct., apud Blyth, 

 Cat. 732 — Horsf., Cat. 705— A. coelipeta, Pallas?— A. japonica, 

 Temm., and Schl. F. J. pi. 47 ? 



The Himalayan Sky-lark. 



Descr. — Above deep brown, the feathers edged with rufous, 

 broadly so on back of neck ; beneath, and eye-brow, pale fulves- 

 cent, or earthy white, rufescent on the breast, and with a few 

 brown streaks ; tail with the outer feathers nearly all white, and 

 the penultimate with the outer web also white. 



Length 7 inches ; wing 4 to 4^ ; tail 2f ; bill at front not -| ; 

 tarsus 1 ; hind toe and claw lj 1 ^. 



This Sky-lark has been found in Nepal by Hodgson. Blyth 

 was latterly induced to separate the Himalayan birds, under 

 Hodgson's name dulcivox (under which name he states that he 

 received specimens from Mr. Hodgson), from the European bird, 

 with which he formerly classed dulcivox, on the grounds that the 

 form of the wing was distinct, the fourth developed primary in sup- 

 posed dulcivox being barely T ^ inch shorter than the third, whereas 

 in arvensis, it is at least ^ shorter. The wing of the European Lark 

 is given as 4|- inches, which is longer than in any Indian examples 

 of the present bird. Moreover, the colors of dulcivox are said to 

 be brighter, and the contrast more marked. In other respects the 

 two birds are alike, except that the throat and ear-coverts are less 

 spotted in the Himalayan bird, and there is a stronger rufous tin^e 

 on the wings. 



It is certainly the A. triborhyncha of Hodgson, in Horsfleld's 

 Catalogue, No. 705, where it is described as follows: — "Very 

 like A. gulgida; differs in being somewhat larger, and the bill 

 smaller ; the ferruginous colors brighter, especially on the win^s. 

 Length 6^ inches ; wing 4 T ^ ; tail 2f ; tarsus f ; hind toe and 

 claw 1|. This Himalayan Lark has been sent from Nepal by 

 Mr. Hodgson, and from Bootan by Mr. Pemberton." 



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