258 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [No 3. 



Calandrella brachydactyla, (Tern.) Two specimens, from Abys- 

 sinia. Head less rufescent, and with the dusky mesial streaks to the 

 feathers more developed, than we remember to have seen in Indian spe- 

 cimens : but an example from Algeria differs in no respect from the latter.* 

 *Alauda ruficeps, Riippell. Two specimens, from Abyssinia.f 



Agrodroma sordida ( Anthus sordidus, RuppelL). Before receiving 

 this Abyssinian specimen, we had provisionally identified the large dull 

 sandy-coloured Pipit of the Panjab, previously referred to A. similis, 

 Jerdon, with the present species : and we feel little doubt that A. similis 

 of the Indian peninsula will prove to be identical with Anthus cinna- 

 momeus of Buppell. The S. Indian bird is very remarkable, among the 

 Motacillid,e, for possessing an extremely rudimentary first primary. 



* The Prince of Canino, enumerating the species of this genus, gives one as C. 

 bagtietra ; by which we presume that the Indian bird is intended. Comptes 

 Rendus, XXXVIII (1854), p. . 



t Dr. Riippell refers this bird to Megalophonus, G. R. Gray; but the cha- 

 racters are rather those of the true Alauda, except that the legs and feet are 

 comparatively small and weak. The wing has the short first primary minute, the 

 third, fourth, and fifth equal and longest, and the second and sixth are scarcely 

 shorter. A. erythropygia, Strickland, from Kordofan (P. Z. S. Nov. 1850), is 

 probably affined to it. 



The true Megalophoni (v. Brachonyx, Swainson,) were classed as Mirafr^e 

 by Dr. A. Smith; and they seem to be merely weak-billed Mirafr^e, and resem- 

 ble Mirafra in wanting the tuft of short bristly feathers over each nostril, which 

 is characteristic of the more typical Larks. Certhilauda also wants this tuft, 

 and Macronyx (but the latter is a genus of Pipits, affined to the long- clawed 

 Corydall^e, as C. Richardi and C. rufula). Mr. G. R. Gray assigns to 

 Megalophonus certain true Larks (possessing the nareal tuft) of S. Africa, which 

 Dr. A. Smith classed as Alauda ; but these constitute a peculiar form, Calen- 

 dulauda, nobis ; ex. Alauda albescens, Lafr. (v. A. codea, A. Smith), — A. 

 lagepa, A. Smith, &c. 



The genus Mirafra, also, has hitherto been composed very heterogeneously. 

 Confining it to the species devoid of nareal tufts, we therefore distinguish, 1, 

 Spizalauda, nobis; ex. M. Hayt, Jerdon, which is a peculiar and rather thick- 

 billed true Lark, as shewn by the form of the wing, &c. ; and 2, Annomanes, 

 Cabanis; ex. M. phcenicura, Franklin, — Al. lusitania, Gmelin (v. deserti, 

 Licht., isabellina, Tern., et M. phcenicuroides, nobis), — and probably M. cor- 

 dufanica, Strickland (P. Z. 8. Nov. 26th, 1850), to which we suspect that 

 A. cinnamomea, Bonap. (Rev. Zool. &c. 1851, p. 178), should be referred. 

 (P. S. Since this note was first printed, we have learned of the prior establish- 

 ment of the genus Annomanes ; and that A. CINNAMONEA (CORDUFANICA ?) is 

 correctly referred to it ; also the Alauda pallida of Ehrenberg, which possibly 



