Birds. 



672) 



here and there with a pale shade of the same colour. The under 

 wing-coverts are pale rust-colour. The male is much redder than the 

 female on the under parts, and the female has speckles on the throat 

 and face, which are wanting in the male. She is also larger, as will 

 be seen from the following measurements, though her wings are 

 shorter and rounder. In the breeding-season the feathers get con- 

 siderably abraded in both sexes, which gives the bird a much browner 

 and dingier appearance ; but in the winter, after the autumnal moult, 

 the plumage once more resumes its rich tints. The male, while 

 singing on the ground, generally raises his crest, which gives him a 

 very elegant appearance. 



Male. — Bill, 5j-tenths ; to gape, 7-tenths ; length to end of tail, 

 5 inches 1-tenth ; wing, 3 inches 1-tenth ; tail, 2 inches 4-tenths ; 

 tarsus, 9-tenths ; mid toe and claw, 7j-tenths ; outer toe, 5-tenths ; 

 inner toe, 5^-tenths ; hind toe, 4j-tenths, its claws over 5-tenths. 



Female. — Bill, 4j tenths ; to gape, 6-tenths ; length, 6 inches 1- 

 tenth ; wing, Sj inches ; tail, 2 inches 4-tenths ; tarsus, 1 inch ; 

 hind-toe, 4J- tenths, its claws over 5-tenths. 



The members of this genus differ so slightly in colour, that with- 

 out attention to the proportions and other peculiarities it is almost 

 impossible to distinguish them ; for example, the skylark and wood- 

 lark are perfectly distinct birds at home, yet 1 have seen some very 

 good bird-fanciers for a while puzzled to point out which was which. 

 Our bird resembles A. malabarica in some degree, yet on comparison 

 I think there are sufficient grounds to- separate them. 



Having said something about its colours and its affinities, let us 

 now have an insight into its domestic habits. For this purpose we 

 must follow it to its haunts. There is an island in the Amoy Har- 

 bour honored by the name of Whale Island, from the similarity of its 

 profile to that cetacean ; and when the day is gradually yielding to 

 darkness, and outlines stand out more apparent, the resemblance is 

 very complete when viewed from certain parts of the harbour. The 

 fore part of the island is clayey, covered with loose rocks, and stones 

 which crumble and rattle under foot, and thus make walking on it 

 very unpleasant. Here and there a few patches of coarse grass and 

 a few low plants occur. The middle and " flapper " part abound, on 

 the contrary, in rich grass pasturage ; and here the larks love to 

 dwell, and rear their young. Many a by-gone Chinaman who was 

 evidently determined to lay his bones in quiet has been deposited 

 here, and fine large graves overgrown with grass and herbage are 



