180 BTFASCIATED LAKK. 



Cerllillaiula hifasciata, Bonai'ARTE; 1838. 



Alcsmon desertomm, Stanley. 



" " Keyserltng & Blasitjs; 1840. 



Alouette douhle-hande. Of the Fkencit. 



Ziueihindige Lerche, Of the Germans. 



Specific Characters. — The false primary about oue-tliird the 

 length of the first, wMcL. is shorter than the fourth. The two 

 longest of the greater wing coverts very nearly as long as the 

 fifth primary. Tail long, with the outer web of the most lateral 

 quills white; posterior claw as long as the toe, A broad black 

 band across the white secondaries. Length eight inches six lines. 

 — Temminck, which is exactly the length of the female specimen 

 sent me by Mr. Tristram, and which is figured. 



The Engiisli naturalist who confines Ills attention 

 to liis own fanna^ a liabit^ tlie breacli of wliicli will 

 afford liini great pleasure and instruction, will be 

 struck with, the difference between the Bifasciated Lark 

 and one or two others which I shall have to bring 

 before his notice, and the well-known graceful forms 

 of our Skylark or Woodlark. But the family is Avell 

 linked together by similarity of structure and habit, 

 which we shall see as we proceed. 



The Bifasciated Lark is an inhabitant of Andalusia 

 and Candia, and has been seen occasionally in Sicily 

 and the south of France. Dr. Leith Adains informs me 

 that this bird is also found in the deserts of Western 

 Asia and Scinde. Its real home, however, is in the 

 north of Africa, where its habits have been observed 

 by Mr. Tristram, and by whom the bird which I 

 have figured was shot. I extract the following from 

 one of Mr. Tristram's papers on the ornithology of 

 Northern Africa, in that excellent and useful work, 

 the "Ibis," vol. i., p. 426:— ''The Bifasciated Lark is 



