AND TYPES OF EGGS. 33 



birds, found in this country chiefly in the cold weather. Two species 

 (Emberha striolata miMelophus melanicterus) are permanent residents and 

 breed in the plains. Two or three kinds of buntings breedin the Himalayas, 

 but all the rest go further north or west to breed. They frequent open 

 ground or rocks with scanty jungle. The corn buntings [Euspiza) are 

 generally found in cultivated ground. They all nestle on or close to 

 the ground, under shelter, and the eggs are spotted and often scrawled 

 with fine hair-like lines. 



Finches, (Hesperipkom, Mycerdbas, Pyrrhula, Pyrrhopledes, 

 Loxia, HiBmatospiza, Propyrrhila, Carpodacus, Propasser, Procarduelis, 

 Pyrrhospiza, Callacanthis, Carduelis, Chrysomitris, Metoponia, Fringilla, 

 Montifringilla, Fringillauda). — A few finches wander to the foot of 

 the hills in the winter, but the common rose finch {Carpodacus 

 erythrinus) is the only one found in the plains of India. All the others 

 occur in the Himalayas only, chiefly at high elevations. They are all 

 more or less migratory. Of arboreal habits, frequenting forests and wooded 

 tracts, and of their breeding, very little is known. All the eggs of this 

 group that are known are prettily, some very handsomely, marked. 



Bush larks, (Mirafra). — Are spread throughout the plains of 

 India. They frequent open forests, grass jungle, and edges of cultivation, 

 are not migratory, build on the ground in short grass, and lay pro- 

 fusely spotted eggs. 



Finch larks, {lAmmomanes, Pyrrkalauda). — Are also perma- 

 nent residents of the plains of India frequenting drier and more open 

 ground and avoiding cultivation. They are widely distributed. Their eggs 

 are profusely speckled. 



Larks, ( Calandrella, Melanocorypha, Maudala, Otocoris, Spiz- 

 alauda, Alauda, Galerita, Certhilauda). — Are more or less migratory, asso- 

 ciating in flocks in the cold weather, but many species breed in India. 

 The short- toed larks {^Calandrella), the calandra larks {Melanocorypha), 

 the horned larks ( Otocoris), and probably also the desert larks {Certhilauda) 

 are merely cold weather visitants, and do not breed at all within our limits. 

 The Himalayan sky lark {A. dulcivox) breeds only in the Himalayas^ 

 while the others breed in suitable localities throughout the country. The 

 sky larks {Alauda) aflect damp grassy spots. The sand larks {Jlaudda) 

 frequent the sandy beds of large rivers. All the others are found in dry^ 

 open, or cultivated plains. They all build on the ground and lay spotted 

 eggs. 



