399 



OTOCOEYS BILOPHA. 



(ALGERIAN SHORE-LARK.) 



Alauda bilopha, Eiipp. in Temm. PL Col. 244. fig. 1 ; id. Neue Wirbelth. p. 104 (1835). 



Otocoris bilopha (Eiipp.), G. E. Gray, Gen. of Birds, Alaudince (1844-49). 



Otocornis bilopha, Eiipp. Syst. Uebers. p. 78. no. 308 (1845). 



"Alauda bicornis, Hempr.," Cab. Mus. Hein. i. p. 122 (1850). 



Otocoryx bilopha (Eiipp.), Licht. Nomencl. Av. p. 38 (1854). 



Phileremos bicornis, C. L. Brehm, Vogelfang, p. 122 (1855). 



"Eremophila khamsin, Lef." Hartmann, J. f. Orn. 1863, p. 309. 



6 ad. corpore supr& rufescenti-arenaceo, subtus albo ; sincipite, macula magna in facie laterali, pelta pectorali 

 et plumis elongatis in capitis lateribus supra oculos nigerrimis : fascia frontali, gula et colli lateribus 

 pure albis : remigibus fumosis, primario primo in pogonio externo albo, reliquis extus rufescente 

 isabellino lavatis, secundariis extus albido marginatis et eodem colore apicatis, secundariis intimis 

 elongatis, in pogonio externo dorso concoloribus et in pogonio interno sordide fuscis : rectricibus cen- 

 tralibus rufescenti-isabellinis, versus apicem centraliter fusco notatis, reliquis nigricantibus, rectrice 

 extima, utrinque in pogonio externo alba. : bypocbondriis rufescenti-isabelbno lavatis : rostro, iride et 

 pedibus ut in O. alpestri coloratis sed bis pallidioribus. 



2 ad. mari similis sed sordidior, sincipite nigricanti-fusco nee nigro, macula in facie laterali et peM pectorali 

 minus extensis, ilia pallide fulvido notata. 



Adult Male (Algeria) . Forehead, the black on the fore part of the crown, and the black facial patch and 

 pectoral shield as in the common Shore-Lark ; but the elongated feathers on the sides of the crown are 

 very long ; hinder portion of the crown and entire upper parts pale rufescent isabelline, more rufous on 

 the inner secondaries and wing-coverts than on the back ; quills dull greyish brown, the first primary 

 having the outer web white, and the rest washed with rufescent isabebine on the outer web ; secondaries 

 margined on the outer web and tipped with dull white, except the elongated inner secondaries, which 

 are like the back, but more rufescent on the outer web, and dull brown on the hidden portion of the 

 inner web ; central rectrices coloured like the back, except that they are marked with dark brown in 

 the centre towards the tip, remaining tail-feathers black, except that the outer one on each side has the 

 outer web white ; throat and sides of the neck round the black facial patch, and between it and the 

 black pectoral shield, pure white ; rest of the underparts white, on the flanks washed with pale rufescent 

 isabelline ; under wing-coverts and under tail-coverts pure white ; soft parts as in 0. alpestris, but the 

 legs are paler. Total length about 6 inches, culmen - 55, wing 3 - 8, tail 2'85, tarsus 0"82, hind toe 

 with claw 0'6, hind claw - 3. 



Adult Female (Laghouat, 26th November). Differs from the male in having the black on the crown replaced 

 by dark brown. As in the female of 0. alpestris, the tufts on the sides of the head are very short, the 

 facial patch is small, and marked with pale brown, and the pectoral shield is much smaller than in 

 the male. I 



This desert form of our common Shore-Lark, first described by Eiippell from Arabia Petraea, 



