SPIZOCOEYS. ALAUDA. 125 



, Genus SPIZOCORYS, SunAev. 



Spizocorys conirostris {Sundev.). 

 (Plate Vir. figs. 8 & 9.) 



Spizocorys conirostris, Shnrpe, Cat. Birds B. M. xiii. p. 564 (1890) ; 



Stark, Faun. S. Afi:, Birds, i. p. 220 (1900) ; Sharpe, Hand-l. v. 



p. 165 (1906). 

 Calandrella conirostris, Shelley, B. Afr. iii. p. 133 (1902). 



Eggs of the Pink-billed Lark are of a somewhat pointed oval 

 shape and slightlj' glossy; the ground-colour is white or pale 

 greenish-white, spotted all over, especially round the larger end, 

 with olive-brown and purplish-grey. In four eggs from Wolvehoek 

 the ground-colour is white and the markings are mostly very fine, 

 but in the set from Heilbron the ground-colour is pale greenish- 

 white and the markings are much bolder, many taking the form of 

 small rounded blotches. They vary from -74 to '8 in length, and 

 from "51 to -54 in breadth. 



3. Heilbron, O.R.O., Nov. R. B. Woosnam, Esq. [0.]. 



2. Wolvehook, O.R.O., Jan. R. B. Woosnam, Esq. [0.]. 



2. Wolvehoek, 8th Jan. R. B. Woosnam, Esq. [C.]. 



Genus ALAUDA, Linn. 



Alauda arvensis, Linn. 



Alaiida arvensis, Thien. Fortpjlanz. ges. Vog. p 377, tab. xxvi. fio;. 1, a-e 



(1845-54) ; Baedeker, Eier Eur. Vog. tab. 66. fig. 4 (1855-68) ; 



Hewitson, Eggs of Brit. Birds, i. p. 176, pi. xlv. fig. i (1856) ; 



Dresser, Birds Eur. iv. p. 307 (1871) ; Seebohni, Brit. Birds, ii. 



p. 266, pi. 15 (1884) ; id., Birds Japan. Emp. p. 118 (1890) ; Sharpe, 



Cat. Birds B. M. xiii. p. 567 (1890) ; Oates, Fauna Brit. Ind., Birds, 



ii. p. 324 (1890) ; id., ed. Hume, Nests Sf Eggs Ind. Birds, ii. 



p. 220 (1890) ; Seebohm, Eggs of Brit. Birds, p. 256, pi. 58. 



figs. 11 & 12 (1896) ; Bey, Eier Vog. Mitteleurop. p. 2-51, pi. 36. 



figs. 1-5 (1900) I Dresser, Man. Pal. Birds, pt. i. p. 387 (1902) ; 



Sharpe, Hand-l. v. p. 166 (1906). 

 Alauda arvensis arvensis, Eartert, Vog. Pal. Faun. pt. iii. p. 244 (1905). 



Eggs of the Sky-Lark vary from a pointed to a blunt oval form, 

 but the majority are pointed and a few are pyriform. Many 

 specimens exhibit a high gloss, others are comparatively dull. 

 The ground-colour varies from dull white to grey and greenish- 

 white, and is, as a rule, profusely mottled with various shades of 

 brown and underlying purplish-grey or pale lavender. The 

 markings are frequently tinged with olive, and occasionally with 

 rufous ; and while in some specimens they are evenly spread over 

 the entire surface of the shell, iti others they are disposed more 

 densely at the broad end and form a cap or zone. Specimens 

 measure from -85 to 1-02 in length, and from -61 to "72 in 

 breadth. 



