100 
DESERT LARK. 
Arabia Petra?a. It is sedentary, and breeds both in 
the Algerian Sahara and in the wilderness of Judaea, 
in both which localities I have taken the nest, neatly 
formed of grass, in a depression under a tuft of 
weeds, and with four eggs, in size nearly equal to 
those of Alaucla cristata, but never so elongated; 
measuring eleven lines by eight, of a rich cream-colour, 
blotched especially towards the large end with brown 
and red spots. In its habits this very distinct species 
exhibits, so far as I am aware, no distinctive peculi- 
arities, living in small flocks, and poising itself in the 
air like its congeners. Its notes are few, though not 
unmelodious; but its song will bear no comparison 
either in volume or sweetness with that of the Skylark. 
It varies considerably in size, but its average length 
is about six inches and a half.” 
Dr. Leith Adams considers this bird as probably 
identical with M. phmiicur aides , Blythe, “I. A. S. 
Beng.,” xxii, p. 583. It is found in Scinde and 
Cashmere. Dr. Adams gives the following measurements 
of the Indian species: — “Length about six inches; wing 
three inches and one-sixth; first primary one inch and 
one-eighth, being an inch and five-eighths shorter than 
the second ; the second is a quarter of an inch less 
than the next three, which are equal; tail two inches 
and three-quarters. Bill to gape five-eighths of an 
inch; tarsus seven-eighths of an inch; hind claw five- 
sixteenths of an inch. Legs broAvn.” 
The male and female have the upper parts of a 
beautiful glossy dark fawn-colour, very much like that 
of our Almond Tumblers. The feathers shine and 
decompose the light like shot silk. Primaries and tail 
feathers brown, but bordered more or less deeply with 
the prevailing isabelle tint; below, the colour, though 
