401 



northern portion of the Palsearctic and Nearctic Regions. Full particulars of its range have already 

 been given. 



7735. O. nivalis = O. alpestris (L.). 



7736. 0. scriba will stand as Otocorys penicillata (Gould), and diners from O. alpestris in having the upper 

 parts paler, the entire sides of the throat black, and the white on the head and throat untinged with 

 yellow. It inhabits South-eastern Europe, and thence ranges eastward to Thibet. Since writing my 

 article on this species I have examined Mr. Gould's beautiful series of Shore-Larks, in which are 

 several specimens from Kulu of the so-called Otocorys longirostris, which fully confirm the view I pre- 

 viously took, viz. that these birds are nothing but long-billed and rather large varieties of 0. penicillata, 

 which appears to increase somewhat in size as it is found further eastward, and especially in the length 

 of the bill. None of these specimens has the black on the sides of the face divided by white as in 

 O. alpestris ; but the sides of the throat are continuously black, though the white patch on the chin 

 and upper throat is larger than in examples from Lebanon. On the other hand, I find a specimen 

 labelled by Mr. Blanford himself Otocorys elwesi, which is certainly not the same as those from Kulu, 

 as the black pectoral shield is divided from the black on the sides of the face by a white patch as in 

 0. alpestris; and it closely agrees with the specimen from Tientsin referred to in my article on 0. 



penicillata, and resembles O. alpestris, but is paler, has a longer bill, and the white on the head and 

 throat is entirely free from any tinge of yellow. As this article was going to press Mr. Blanford 

 brought his type of Otocorys elwesi to me for examination ; and as I find it agrees with Mr. Swinhoe's 

 Tientsin specimen, 0. elwesi should be removed from the synonyms of 0. penicillata, it being merely a 

 pale large-billed form of 0. alpestris. 



7737. 0. longirostris is referable to 0. penicillata. 



7738. 0. cornuta = 0. alpestris. 



7739. 0. chrysolcema also is the same as O. alpestris, being merely a brightly coloured and somewhat smaller 

 climatic variety with the differences neither constant nor such as, in a series from various localities, 

 prove to be of any specific value, as specimens may be found from Western America, Texas, and 

 Mexico which are absolutely indistinguishable from others from Europe and Asia. I observed amongst 

 some of the Russian specimens in Mr. Gould's collection one or two which in size and coloration so 

 closely resemble my specimens from Mexico, that I should be unable to separate them, except by 

 the labels. 



7740. 0. minor =0. alpestris. 



77<&1 . 0. bilopha is a clearly distinct southern desert form of 0. alpestris, differing in being smaller, pale 

 isabelline with a rufous tinge in colour, and having no trace of yellow in the white portions of the 

 plumage. It inhabits Northern Africa. 



7742. O.peregrina, however, from Bogota, appears to me to be a perfectly good species, differing appreciably 

 and constantly from O. alpestris (which inhabits North America, and with which it never mingles, 

 being confined to New Granada, where it is resident) in being considerably smaller in size and darker 

 and richer in colour. As regards colour, my specimen from Vancouver's Island and one from Mexico 

 approach nearest to the males of this species in Messrs. Salvin and Godman's collection, but are not 

 nearly so dark and bright in tone of coloration. 



7743. O. larvata is referable to Otocorys penicillata. 



Besides the above species, I cannot but consider distinct the pale desert form usually 

 labelled by Eussian collectors 0. albigula; and as this name cannot be used for it, I have 

 deemed best to call it 0. brandti. There are therefore according to the view I take of the 

 various forms of Shore-Larks, only the following which can fairly be considered good 

 species: — 



3p 



