W. E. Brooks — Cashmir Birds. 
85 
1872.] 
in June ; but I did not find the nest. Their shrill song consists of one or 
two monotonous notes, frequently repeated from the top of some rock or 
stone. 
Alauda guttata, sp. nov . 
Is the common skylark of the Cashmir plains. Larger than A. 
qulqula, with a longer wing and tail; not so rufous, and with a far bolder 
mode of marking on the breast. At each side of the breast the spots 
coalesce and form a couple of dark patches like those of Calandrella 
Irachydactyla. This is not the case in A. gulgula. The white on the 
outer tail feathers is also of a clean white, as in Alauda arvensis. From 
the latter it is, however, quite distinct. I have several specimens of arvensis. 
A. guttata is, with the exception of the excessively spotted breast, an 
intermediate bird between A. arvensis and A. gulgula; with a song, as 
might be expected, equal to that of either. 
Description. Much less rufous than gulgula and of a darker and du er 
brown above. The lower surface is also colder and greyer in tone. Tail 
much whiter on outer feathers. Breast much more- profusely and boldly 
spotted and with generally a coalition of spots on each side, similar to that 
of C. Irachydactyla. Length 6 3 to 6 9 ; wing 37 to 3 9 ; tail 2'6 to 2'8 
inch. . . . 
Dr. Jerdon has made great confusion amongst the larks by giving A. 
dulcivox, Hodgs., as a synonym of A. triborhyncha, Hodgs. Mr. Hodgson s 
drawings shew them to be quite distinct. A. dulcivox is a very large lark, 
measuring 7-j inches long ; wing 4J ; tail 2} ]. Breast spotted as in ai veil 
sis. In character it is the only lark which closely approaches arvensis. . 
triborhyncha is, as far as I can ascertain from Mr. Hodgson s beautiful y 
finished drawing, identical with A. gulgula; and so is Alauda orientalis, 
vel leiopus of Hodgson.— Dimensions of triborhyncha : Length 6 4 and b, ; 
tail 2 and 2 The drawing shews the wing of triborhyncha to be 3 4 
inches, and that of orientalis to be not quite 3f inches which is e range 
the wing of gulgula is subject to. The tails also agree \u 1 la o gu - 
gula, and the coloring agrees exactly. , 
I am satisfied that the Cashmir bird is distinct; for independently of 
size it differs by the peculiarly dark grey hue. There is another large 
lark found up the Scind valley at Sonamurg, which may turn out to be 
Hodgson’s large species A. dulcivox. Capt. Cock took several nests of this 
bird and the eggs are large and well marked, but I regret to say, he did not 
bring a specimen of the bird itself.* 
* I have since received several specimens of A. dulcivox from Amritsar and Nao- 
sliera, collected by Capt. Marshall and Capt. Cock in the cold season. Length 7'5 to 
7-7, wing 4-4 to 4‘7 inch. It is a finer and larger lark than arvensis. 
