—] ]]==— > 
KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. BAND 52. N:o |7. 109 
characteristic of an insect-eater. It ran a little way in order to catch an insect or 
stopped to watch a flying one. In the same locality I also observed the bush-lark 
Mirafra javanica, which as a granivorous bird had quite a different way of looking 
for its food. 
Mirafra javanica MATH. 
Math. handl. n:r 823. 3 JSF ad. Nooncanbah, Fitzroy r. ?/12, 7/12 1910, 8/1, 19/2 1911, one worn dress; 
J (ad.?), 9 ad. Meda, Kimb. 3/5 1911, typical moult.; 3 292 ad., FS ad. Beagle bay, Dampier 1. 13/7, 29/; 1911. 
Mowulting. — The specimens, collected in Nooncanbah, are not in moult 
to any noticeable extent, a fact which is all the more noteworthy as they are 
specimens from Dec., Jan. and Febr. They show, however, rather worn plumages 
(in some of them a very slight partial moulting of the breast). In May only three 
specimens were shot and all of them are in typical moult. They show a plumage 
which is, in fact, a transitional dress between that of winter and that of summer: 
between the specimens of Dec., Jan. and Febr. and those of July respectively. There 
is one plumage for the summer and one for the winter. A moulting season might 
come in Oct.—Nov. or about that time. 
Ecological. — The bush-lark was very common in certain places out in the 
high, dead grass of the steppes. It was found at Mowla Downs, Fitzroy river and 
Meda as weil as in Dampier land (Beagle Bay) and in the month of April also round 
Derby. Its flight is the most characteristic one that I know. No bird moves its 
wings in the same way as the bush-lark. It takes wing from the ground and flies 
a little bit forward with a peculiar >»flittering> of the wings, as if flying were a 
trouble to it. It looks as if the bird jumped or leaped forward in the air, and it 
flies only short distances at a time. Its wings are comparatively small, and the 
ground is its dwelling-place to a greater extent than is the case with any other 
small bird. Once I saw a bird trying to perch in a tree. Fluttering energetically, 
it strove to get a footing on a branch, but only after many clumsy endeavours did 
it succeed in doing this. 
The characteristic strong bill of this lark enticed me to examine its food. It 
lived solely on seeds, and never eat any insects, to judge from the specimens I have 
opened, and those were a considerable number. Besides seeds I have found small 
white pebbles. The maw presented on the inside a callous surface reminding one of 
that of the finches. 
Fam. Ploceide. 
Zon&ginthus castanotis mungi MATH. 
Math. handl. n:r 831. 92 ad. Derby, Kimb. ?9/10 1910, belly in moult.; 3 gZ S ad, Nooncanbah, Fitzroy r. 
H/12, nearly fully-moulted, wings and tail in moult.; ?/1, not moult.; 3/1 1911, partial moult., nearly fully-moulted: 
2 99 ad. Hot Spring, ibid. !'/> wing-feathers growing out: J juv. Beagle bay !S/; 1911, young male in partial. 
full-moulted plumage. 
