32 ALAUDID.E. 



tips of the wings. The wing has the first, second, and third 

 feathers of nearly equal length, the second feather rather the 

 longest. 



The plumage of the adult male is as follows : The fore- 

 head and eyestreak are sulphur-yellow ; above which a band 

 of stiff black feathers extends across the forehead, from each 

 side of which springs a horn, or tuft of long, narrow, and 

 pointed feathers, capable of erection, which form a striking 

 and distinguishing character. Another black band passes 

 from the base of the beak to. the eye, and spreads over the 

 lower part of the ear-coverts ; the chin and sides of the neck 

 are sulphur-yellow, below which a narrow black crescent crosses 

 the breast, dividing it from the under part of the body, which 

 is white. The crown of the head and nape, the back and 

 scapulars, are greyish-brown, tinged with Indian red, the two 

 latter strongly dyed with vinaceous purple, and having a dark 

 streak along the shafts of the feathers. The primary quills 

 are dusky, edged with white ; the secondaries, tertials, and 

 greater coverts brown ; the tertials and covert feathers nearest 

 to the body edged with white, the rest deeply bordered with 

 ferruginous brown ; the lower part of the back is ferruginous 

 brown ; the two middle feathers of the tail umber-brown, 

 darkest along the shaft, the rest are dusky, the outer feather 

 edged with white. The under parts of the body are dull 

 white, tinged with ferruginous brown upon the flanks. The 

 beak is bluish-black, the nostrils covered by black bristling 

 feathers directed forwards. The legs and feet are black, the 

 iris hazel. 



The female is a little less in size, and less bright in colour- 

 ing; the yellow on the head is paler, the black marks 

 smaller, duller, and intermixed with brown ; the upper parts 

 are more grey, with darker shaft streaks, and the red tinge 

 is hardly perceptible. 



After the autumnal moult the forehead of the Shore-lark 



