48 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Fayoum, individuals cannot with certainty be distinguished. 
On the average, the Fayoum birds are a trifle greyer on the 
upper surface, and it seems to me at present doubtful whether 
meritica is sufficiently distinct to warrant separation as a separate 
race. On May 15th I obtained a female Crested Lark on an 
island in Lake Mariotis, near Alexandria, which appears to Mr. 
Bonhote and myself to be identical with specimens of meritica 
from the Fayoum. This bird was feeding young together with 
its mate, a much paler bird with a longer bill, which bird 
appears to be identical with the type of G. cristata caroli of 
Hartert (from the Wadi-el-Natrin), except that it has rather a 
shorter wing. Galerida cristata altirostris of Brehm, which was — 
described from Upper Egypt (exact locality unknown), I did not 
meet with. From examining a series of these birds in the Tring 
Museum, including the type, it appears to me to be a perfectly 
good race, and differing from the Fayoum birds and Abu Roash 
birds in the much more yellowish upper parts. 
38. G. cristata caroli, Hartert.—As mentioned above, I ob- 
tained a specimen of this subspecies at Lake Mariotis, feeding 
young and paired with a much paler bird. This race hitherto 
has only been found in the Wadi-el-Natrtin, about 100 kilometres 
S.S.E. from Lake Mariotis. On comparing a series of these 
birds with a series of altirostris (including the types of both), 
there seems to be a considerable amount of intergrading both in 
colour and measurements. As caroli is said to have a longer 
bill than has altirostris, and a longer wing than the other forms 
of Kigyptian Crested Larks, I give the measurements of the males 
I have examined :— 
Six specimens, Galerida cristata caroli. Wing, 100-108 mm. ; 
bill,* 12°5-15 mm. 
Seven specimens, G. c. altirostris. Wing, 100-107°5 mm. ; 
bill, 11°5-14 mm. 
Hight specimens, G. c. meritica. Wing, 102-109°5 mm. ; 
bill, 12°25-14°25 mm. 
Three specimens, G.c. nigricans. Wing, 100-102°5 mm. ; 
bill, 12°5-18 mm. 
* The bill measurement is taken from the anterior part of the external — 
nares to the tip—the only way in which I consider accuracy and uniformity 
of measurement can be obtained. 
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