38 
A review of the genera Calandrella, Spizocorys and Eremalauda 
(Alaudidae) by W. R. J, Dean. 1989. Bull. B.O.C. 109; 95-100 
Apart from four quite distinctive genera, larks look superficially much 
alike and have been split into a large number of genera based upon 
morphological characters of varying degrees of validity. This paper is 
the most recent contribution to our knowledge of the Afrotropical and 
Palearctic short-toed larks treated by Hall and Moreau in their 1970 
magnum opus as genus Calandrella in the wide sense. Thirteen species are 
discussed by the author, in terms of plumage, display and nest-type 
characters and assigned to three species-groups: Calandrella in the 
restricted sense for the Eurasian - African short-toed larks (those 
present within the QSME geographical area); Spizocorys with five purely 
Afrotropical species; and, lastly, Eremalauda with dunni and the southwest 
African starki . This last grouping is the novelty proposed in this paper. 
Also reviewed are the different taxonomic treatments proposed for these 
larks by different authors - this is really helpful for the uninitiated. 
A very useful appendix sets out the author's diagnoses of each of the 
thirteen species. It is, however, a matter for individual judgement 
whether to regard these three groups as subgenera within Calandrella or as 
full, separate genera. To conclude, this is a valuable paper which is a 
very important contribution to lark systematics and a signal service to 
all field workers in the Middle East and Africa who are struggling with 
lark identification. 
Derek Lees-Smith 
The field identification of North American pipits by Ben King. 1981, 
American Birds 35: 778-788, 2 colour plates. 
Further comments on the field identif ication""of North American pipits by 
Kenneth C. Parkes 1982. American Birds 36: 20-22. 
On the face of it, these two papers have nothing to do with the OSME area, 
but, ot the seven Anthus species discussed, no less than four - 
Red-throated Pipit A. cervinus , Olive Tree-Pipit or Olive-backed Pipit A. 
hodgsoni , Olive-backed Pipit, Brown Tree-Pipit A. trivialis or Tree-Pipit 
and Meadow Pipit A. pratensis - have been recorded in our area, with one, 
Pechora Pipit A. gustavi , as a possible vagrant. Ben King discusses fully 
all these Eurasian pipits from his very extensive field experience. The 
remaining two in his paper - A. spinoletta (American populations now 
regarded as a separate species A. rubescens American Water Pipit or 
Buft-bellied Pipit) and Sprague's Pipit A. spragueii - are purely North 
American. Of the five Eurasian pipits, only the Red-throated breeds in 
Alaska, the others being only vagrants in North America. Two superb 
colour plates - side views of pipits by Peter Hayman and dorsal views by 
Pieter Prall plus a sketch figuring wing formulae and hind claw lengths ol 
Meadow and Tree Pipits illustrate this paper together with a table 
tabulating the characters of the different species. Ken Parkes' paper is 
upon misidentif ication of autumn Meadow Pipits by him in the Isles of 
Sciliy and upon the characters of the montane populations of American 
Water Pipits in western North America. 
