ALAUDIN^.. 
equal and longest. Tail lengthened and equal. Tarsi short, but longer than the middle toe. Toes short 
and strongly scutellated ; and the claws lengthened and nearly straight. 
These migratory birds inhabit the most northern parts of Europe and America, and some are found in the south- 
east of Europe, and south-western parts of Asia, frequenting the sandy plains and humid places, in loose scattered 
flocks. Their food consists chiefly of various kinds of seeds mixed with gravel ; and, in some seasons, of the eggs and 
larvaj of insects. The nest is formed on the ground, of dry grasses, and lined within with feathers. The female deposits 
six eggs. 
1. O. alpestris (Linn.) PI. enl. 650. f. 2., Wils. American 
Ornithol. pi. .5. f. 4. — Alauda flava Gmel. ; Alauda nivalis Pall. ; 
Alauda cornuta Swains. Phil. Mag. 1827. P- ^S'l. ; Alauda chryso- 
laema Wagl. 
2. O.penicillata (Gould), Proc. Z. S. 1837. p. 126. — Otocoris 
scriba (Gould), Pr. Bonap. List ; Alauda alpestris Gmel. jun. Itin. 
1. 62. t. xii. 
3. O. bilopha (Temm.) PL coL 241. f. I. — Alauda bicornis Hempr. 
Megalophonus.* 
Bill moderate, slender, compressed, with the culmen somewhat curved to the tip ; the nostrils basal, 
lateral, and covered only by a membrane. Wings very short, with the first quill short, and the 
second nearly as long as the third, which is the longest. Tail moderate. Tarsi longer than the middle 
toe and slender. Toes moderate, the lateral ones equal ; and the hind claw short and somewhat curved. 
These birds are peculiar to South Africa, where they prefer arid plains or sandy places, which are sparingly covered 
with small shrubs ; they are often observed perched on the low branches of shi'ubs, and on the long and rank grass, 
among which they run and hide themselves. One of the species is remarkable for making a noise by the clapping of 
the wings, when rising from the ground, so as to be heard at some distance ; it rarely mounts above fifteen or twenty 
feet, and while rising utters a short note, and this chiefly at daybreak and sunset. Their food consists of seeds and 
small insects. It is in a hollow on the ground that the nest is made, wherein are laid from four to six eggs. 
1. M. apiatus (Vieill.) N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. 1. 342., Le Vaill. Ois. 
d'Afr. t. 194. — Alauda clamosa Stcph. 
2. M. albescens (Lat'r.) Rev. Zool. 1839. 259. — Alauda codea 
A. Smith, 111. Zool. S. Afr. pi. 87. f- 1. 
3. M. guttatus (Lafr.) Rev. Zool. 1839. 259, 
4. M. lugvpa (A. Smith), 111. Zool. S. Afr. pi. 87. f. 2. 
5. M. rnfipileus (Vieill.) N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. 1. 34.'?., Le Vaill. 
Ois. d'Afr. t. 198. — Alauda ruficapilla Stcph. 
6. M. africanus (A. Smith), Rep. S. Afr. Expcd. p. 47., 111. Zool. 
S. Afr. pi. 88. f. 1. 
7. M. africanoides (A. Smith), Rep. S. Afr. Expcd. p. 47., 111. 
Zool. S. Afr. pi. 88. f. 2. 
8. M. snbota (.V. Smith), Rep. S. Afr. Exped. p. 47., III. Zool. 
S. Afr.pL 89. f. 1. 
9. M. chcniana (A. Smith), Rep. S. Afr. Exped. p. 46., III. Zool. 
S. Afr. pi. 89. f. 2. 
10. M. pijrrhonotus (Vieill.) N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. 1. 36l., Le 
Vaill. Ois. d'Afr. t. I97. — Alauda erythroiiota Steph. 
11. M. cinereus (Lath.) Le Vaill. Ois. d'Afr. t. I99. } 
AliuAFRA Horsf.-\ 
Bill short, much elevated at the base, and tlie culmen arched to the tip, with the sides compressed, 
and the lateral margins arched ; the nostrils basal, lateral, and covered only with a membrane. Wings 
moderate, with the first quill nearly half the length of the second, and the third nearly as long as the 
fourth and fifth, whicli are equal and longest. Tail short and slightly eniarginated. Tarsi nearly 
* In 1841, 1 proposed this name in the place of Mr. Swainson's genus Urachonyx {Zool. Journ. 1827, p. 345.), and of that which 1 had 
myself first altered it to, viz Corypha (1840), because they had been previously employed. 
t Established by Dr. Horsfield in (1820) Linnvan Transactions, xiii. p. 159 It is r/ocealauda of Mr. Hodgson {List of Nepaul Birds 
1844). 
