LARK. 



28.9 



quills and tail are also yellow, and tipped with the same on the 

 sides ; tail rounded ; claws rather more crooked than in the Black 

 Lark. The female differs chiefly in being smaller. 



Inhabits the inner parts of the Cape of Good Hope and the dry 

 plains of the Grand Namaqua, at the foot of the sharp mountains ; 

 and is a wild bird ; it lays five pale blue eggs, marked with rufous 

 spots. It seems to differ chiefly from the others, in the scales being 

 yellow instead of white, and is no doubt a mere Variety. Similar to 

 this was one in the collection of Miss Blomefield, which came from 

 Siberia ; in this the edges of the feathers were cream-coloured, and 

 formed transverse bars on the upper parts, of a beautiful appearance; 

 they were merely lines on the head, widening as they proceeded to 

 the rump; the tail of one plain colour; hind claw straight, and half 

 an inch in length. 



21— YELTONIAN LARK. 



Alauda Yeltoniensis, Ind. Orn. ii. 496. Phil. Trans, lvii. 350. 

 Yeltonian Lark, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. 228. Shaw's Zool. x. 526. 



SIZE of a Starling. Bill cylindric, straight, pointed, base black, 

 with the tip very pale ; tongue bifid ; colour of the plumage black, 

 varied on the head, back, and shoulders with rufous ; the sixth quill 

 has the outer margin white; the two middle tail feathers are rufous, 

 the others like the rest of the plumage; hind claw pretty straight, 

 and longer than the toe itself. 



This is found in the neighbourhood of the Lake Yelton, which is 

 situated beyond the Volga ; is gregarious, and very fat in August, at 

 which time the flesh is of a most exquisite flavour. 



VOL. VI. p P 



