367 



common in most parts of Spain, particularly so near Aranjuez in 1865. Mr. Howard Saunders 

 has published the following note, to the effect that it is " abundant in the great plains south of 

 Seville, where it breeds, making its nest in a depression of the ground, often at the depth of three 

 or four inches. The eggs, though small for the size of the birds, are, however, very distinct from 

 those of G. cristata. In the Isla Menor, a great place for Bustards, the Calandra is especially 

 abundant." Major Irby finds it plentiful in winter in Andalucia, chiefly arriving in November, 

 and leaving the vicinity of Gibraltar in March. " Some few," he adds, " nest in the plains near 

 Casa Vieja." Mr. Gervase F. Mathew writes to us as follows : — " The Melanocorypha calandra 

 is tolerably numerous in some localities near Lisbon, especially on the uncultivated flats in the 

 neighbourhood of Villafranca and Eeguengo." The Eev. A. C. Smith likewise says that he found 

 it " common everywhere throughout Portugal, in the open plains and fields." 



Count Salvadori writes to us : — " This Lark is a permanent resident in Central and Southern 

 Italy. It is met with on the Maremma Toscana, becoming more abundant in the Maremma 

 Romana and in the Neapolitan provinces. It is extremely common in many suitable places in 

 Sicily. In Northern Italy it is of only accidental occurrence." Bettoni states that in Lombardy 

 it is rare and migratory, but nevertheless has been found breeding in that province. Mr. E. 

 Cavendish Taylor says it is generally to be found in the bird-market of Rome during the winter 

 and early spring. Professor Doderlein, in his account of the Birds of Modena, states that it is 

 almost a resident, though rather rarer about Bologna than near Modena ; some individuals nest 

 about the lower part of the Po. The same author says that " in Sicily it is resident, and very 

 abundant in many parts of the island ; being a favourite on account of its song, it is frequently 

 captured with nets." Lord Lilford tells us that when in Sicily, in November 1856, he found it 

 in the barren country near Lercar di Friddi in large flocks. In Sardinia it is common and 

 resident, according to Salvadori. Mr. A. B. Brooke also found it plentiful in the last-named 

 island ; and Lord Lilford likewise tells us that he perceived it to be very abundant on the plains of the 

 island of Sardinia, " where, curiously enough, the Crested Lark does not occur." It may here be 

 mentioned that Pastor Brehm has made a subspecies of the Sardinian and Algerian Calandra, 

 which he calls Melanocorypha calandra megarhynchos, and, again, from Dalmatia, another species, 

 which he names M. albigularis, while yet another species is described as distinct, this common 

 to Greece and Dalmatia, called M. subcalandra. We are sorry to say that no one since Pastor 

 Brehm seems to have been able to make out these species. 



Lord Lilford writes that " a few of this species are to be observed in summer in Corfu, where 

 they breed. I have never observed this bird on the mainland." Von der Miihle considers it to 

 be the commonest Lark in Greece ; but Lindermayer differs from him in this respect, and also does 

 not agree with the account of its habits given in the work of the above-mentioned author. He 

 says : — " It arrives in the middle of April, when it is numerous, and leaves late in October. 

 Many, however, winter in Greece, although Erhardt includes it as a summer visitor to the 

 Cyclades." Messrs. Elwes and Buckley found it common and resident in Turkey ; and Mr. Robson, 

 of Ortakeuy, writes to us as follows : — " This species is common in Turkey in Europe and in 

 Asia Minor. In the winter they associate in large flocks ; and many of them are shot by sports- 

 men for the table, as they are large plump birds, and are much in request for eating. They 

 affect mountains and large plains, but seem to prefer hilly tracts, and are found both on culti- 



2e 



