THE BIRDS OF LOWER EGYPT. 49 
From the above it seems obvious that the wing and bill measure- 
ments alone of individuals are of little use in determining the race. 
It seems to me that there is much to be learnt about the Crested 
Larks of the Egyptian Delta. Until recent years the various 
races have been more or less ‘‘ lumped” together—to my mind, 
not a very scientific procedure, though undoubtedly the simplest 
—and little attempt has been made to work out the races and 
their distribution ; so that it is to be hoped that future workers 
will pay more attention to these birds, and elucidate the very 
interesting problem as to why in Egypt there are found three or 
four recognizable races of Crested Larks. So far it seems to me 
certain that caroliis not confined to the Wadi-el-Natrtn, and that 
meritica (if it be distinct) is not found only in the Fayoum, and 
it seems more than likely that the race of Crested Lark of any 
one area is correlated to the nature of the soil in that area, and 
that on the border-line interbreeding takes place. The food of 
Crested Larks obtained consisted of corn, other seeds, and 
beetles. The notes of the various forms did not appear to me to 
differ from those of G. cristata cristata. 
39. Ammomanes deserti isabellina (Temm.).—Several pairs 
were met with in the desert near Helouan; judging from the 
actions of the birds and the state of their sexual organs they 
were breeding. The song, which is pretty and warbling, is 
uttered hovering, but also when on the ground. Food consists 
of vegetable-matter, seeds, and stray grains of corn—the latter 
probably dropped from some passing cavalcade, as there was no 
cultivation for some miles distant. With the sun on them these 
birds look almost pink in colour. 
40. Calandrella brachydactyla longipennis (Kiversm). — A 
small flock seen on the edge of the desert, near the Great Pyra- 
mids, on April 30th. On May 9th a single one only was seen 
and obtained; an old shot-wound had evidently delayed its 
migration. A small flock, which was very wild, was seen at 
Inchas on May 2nd. The specimen obtained had the testes 
only very slightly enlarged, and in the gizzard were some seeds 
and corn. Whether all birds seen belonged to this form one 
cannot say; when the plumage is worn it is not always easy to 
differentiate this race from the typical race. 
41. C. minor nicolli, Hartert.—-This form I found on the semi- 
