371 



geners in places where the other species are found. It seeks the pastures and corn-fields more 

 than the above-mentioned species (Galerida cristata and Calandrella brachydactyla), though in 

 some places all three are found together in equal abundance. The number of eggs varies from 

 three to five ; they are laid about the second week in May, but some earlier." Much has been 

 said in the foregoing pages concerning the song of the Calandra, which appears to render it the 

 favourite cage-bird in Southern Europe. Mr. Wright says that in Malta " numbers are yearly 

 imported from Sicily, and kept as cage-birds for their song, which is too powerful for a room. 

 A good songster is much esteemed, and fetches a high price." Major Irby tells us that near 

 Gibraltar " great quantities are caught with a lantern and a bell at night. On a windy night I 

 have known a boy catch seven or eight dozen of this species, along with Alauda arvensis, A. 

 cristata, and Emberiza miliaria, in a couple of hours' time." 



The eggs of the Calandra Lark vary considerably in size, and are sometimes as small as those 

 of the Crested Lark. In Dresser's collection are eggs from Spain and from Algeria, the latter 

 collected by Mr. W. H. Hudleston. The largest, a Spanish specimen, measures 1^ by f -§■ inch, 

 and the smallest, an Algerian specimen, ff by ff . The ground-colour is dull grey with a buff 

 tinge ; and the spots, which are closely scattered over the eggs, are of two sorts — the underlying 

 shell-markings, which are purplish grey and light brown, and the overlying surface-blotches, 

 which are pale umber and nut-brown. 



Dr. E. Eey, who found this Lark common in Portugal, writes us that the average size of its 

 eggs is 24T millims. by 18 - 5 millims. 



The description of the adult male is taken from a Spanish specimen in Lord Lilford's 

 collection, killed at Aranjuez in May. The changes of plumage are described from MM. Jaubert 

 and Barthelemy Lapommeraye's work, verified to some extent by specimens examined by 

 ourselves. 



In the preparation of the above article we have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. Sharpe and Dresser. 



a. Crimea {Whitely). b, c. Asia Minor (Robson). d. Bashan, Palestine (H. B. Tristram), e. Tangier 

 (Olcesse) f. Savoy (P. L. Sclater). 



E Miis. H. B. Tristram. 



a, b. Berroughuia, Algeria, May 28th, 1856 (H. B. T.). c. Plain of Sharon, February 16th, 1864 (H. B. T.). 

 d. Bashan, March 16th, 1864 {H. B. T.) . e. Sudeir, Wilderness of Judsea, February 1st, 1864 {H. B. T.). 



E Mus. Lord Lilford. 



a, b. Aranjuez, May 9th, 1865 (L.). 



E Mus. Howard Saunders. 



a. Tamak, February 1854 (G. Radde). b. Malaga, January 2nd, 1868 (H. S.). c. Seville, March 1st, 

 1870 {H. S.). 



