330 



tip, and marked with dull brown in the centre, remaining rectrices pale rufous at the base, and 

 gradually darkening till they become dull sooty brown toward the tip, the two outer feathers on each 

 side with the outer web rufous nearly to the tip ; under wing-coverts pale rufescent isabelline ; bill 

 dull yellow, with a greenish shade; legs pale greenish slate; iris brown. Total length about 6i inches, 

 culmen 0'6, wing 39, tail 2 - 8, tarsus 0'85, hind toe with claw 0'55, hind claw 0'27 ; first primary short, 

 only - 33 longer than the coverts, and 1*7 less than the second, second - 25 less than the third, third 

 and fourth equal, being also the longest. 



Female. Similar to the male. 



Young. According to Mr. Blanford the young differ from the adult in being generally more rufous, in 

 having the basal portion and margins of all the rectrices pale dull ferruginous, with only the terminal 

 portion dark brown, the size of the dark spot being smallest on the outer pair. The greater portion of 

 the quills too, including all the basal part, is the same dull pale rufous; and there are pale rufous 

 edgings to the feathers of the upper parts and breast. 



Obs. Some authors have used Gmelin's name of Alauda lusitana (Syst. Nat. i. p. 798, 1788) for the present 

 species ; but I have not done so, for the following reasons : — Gmelin founded his species on the Portugal 

 Lark of Latham (Syn. ii. pi. ii. p. 393), which the latter author describes as having " the upper part of 

 the plumage cream-colour; each feather dusky brown in the middle; coverts and quills edged with 

 grey ; underparts yellowish white, deepest on the breast ; tail as the upper parts, some of the outer 

 feathers yellowish white." This description, which it is stated in a footnote was taken from a drawing, 

 does not agree with A. deserti ; and I think it probable that the bird described was a cream-coloured 

 variety, or partial albino, of one of the commoner species. Nor does it appear that any authentic 

 specimen of the true A. deserti has ever been obtained either in Portugal or Spain. I have seen two 

 so-called specimens of A. deserti from Spain, both of which were nothing else but cream-coloured 

 varieties of the common Sky-Lark and the Crested Lark, and Mr. Saunders tells me that he entirely 

 disbelieves its occurrence there. 



The present species inhabits Northern Africa, straggling but rarely, if ever, to Europe proper, 

 and is found eastward to Cashmere. 



It is said to have occurred in Portugal and Spain ; but I have failed in tracing any authentic 

 instance of its occurrence in those countries, and think that pale cream-coloured varieties of 

 other Larks have been mistaken for this species. Indeed its occurrence in Europe north of 

 the Mediterranean appears to be somewhat doubtful and uncertain. Cara recorded it from 

 Sardinia ; but Salvadori never met with it, and doubts its occurrence, stating that specimens in 

 the Cagliari Museum labelled as being this species are nothing but varieties of Alauda arvensis. 

 It is stated to have occurred at Malta by Mr. C. A. Wright, who writes (Ibis, 1864, p. 61) that 

 the capture of a single specimen, of which the skin is in the possession of Signor Schembri, 

 entitles it to a place in his catalogue of the birds found there ; but I am in some doubt as to 

 whether this may not refer to the Lesser Desert-Lark (Ammomanes cinctura, Gould), of which 

 species I obtained a specimen from Mr. Wright with some other birds some years ago. Temminck 

 (Man. d'Orn. iv. p. 638) speaks of it as being common in Greece ; but Von der Miihle (/. c.) states 

 that it is very rare on the elevated plains of Tripolitz and elsewhere, and by no means common 

 as Temminck says. Erhardt records it from the Cyclades ; but Lindermayer writes that he never 

 met with it in Greece. I do not find it recorded from anywhere else in Europe proper ; but it is 



