304 THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 



The White-lored Field Wren, C. albiloris. — Victoria. Very similar to 

 C. fuliginosiis, but has a large triangular white patch in front of the 

 eye, and extending in a broad line of white feathers below the eye. 

 Total length 5.2 inches, wing 2.2, tail 2.1. 



Rock Field Wren, C. montanellus. — West Australia. Upper surface lustre- 

 less dingy brown; abdomen pale olive-yellow, tending to white;, 

 throat and breast with bolder striations than in C. fuliginosus, and 

 more ashy-white. 



Genus Ciucloraniphus. Song Larks. 

 Australia only. The indigenoiis skylarks of Australia, 

 having much the same habits as the European birds. They are 

 plain brown birds, which migrate to the grassy paddocks and 

 plains of the cooler south to breed during the spring months, 

 being especially plentiful if the season has been well favoured 

 with rains. There is an extraordinary disparity in size between 

 the sexes, the female being less than half the size of the male. 

 Like the true Larks, they run along the ground, and the male 

 rises into the air, singing, as he soars, his animated song. The 

 nest is made of dried grasses, and lodged in a slight hollow of 

 the ground, under the shelter of a tussock. The eggs, four, dull 

 white, the ground colour almost obscured by pinkish-red and 

 purplish freckles, .95 x .7 inch. Both species are met with all 

 over the Continent. 



The Brown Song Lark, C. cruralis. — Upper tail-coverts ashy-brown; 

 throat and belly blackish. Length 9.2 inches. 



The Rufous Song Lark, C. rufescens. — Upper tail-coverts rufous; throat 

 and belly whitish. Length 7 inches. 



This lark seems to be possessed of powers of ventriloquism 

 in addition to its own loud and pleasing song. 



Family Turdidce. 

 Bill moderately stout, rather wide and depressed. Wings 

 moderate, with a small bastard primary. 



Sub-family Turdince. 

 The young in first plumage have the upper and under parts 

 spotted, whether this is the case or not in the adult. One moult 



