Page:Stray feathers. Journal of ornithology for India and its dependencies (IA strayfeathersjou11873hume).pdf/514

 Notes on the Ski/larks of India.

486 4. ALAUDA MALABARICA is our fourth lark, and is the Western Indian species. It can at any time be readily distinguished by its long pointed crest (resembling that of Galerida cristata), and by its generally infous tone of plumage.

5. ALAUDA AUSTRALIS, 1. sp, is the skylark of the hill region of Southern India, distinct from d. malabarica by the absence of the pointed crest. It is founded upon a single specimen in the Indian Museum, labelled "Alauda gulgula, Franklin, male, Ootacamnud. W. T. B., donor." On the back of this label wrote in pencil. This bird is distinct from A. gulgula of the N. W. P. and Bengal, 18th December, 1872." Description. Length of skin, 65; wing, 3.84; tail, 2-4; bill. at front, ; from gape, 77; tarsus 1·03; hind toe and claw, 1.17; claw only, '65. This is a large rufous lark, far more rufous both above and below than A. gulgula of the N. W. Provinces, and very strongly rufous on the outer edges of the secondaries; greater wing coverts marked with rufous, and having outer pale edges, the lesser wing coverts are also strongly marked with rufous with extreme outer edges of grey, the first or basal portion of the feather being dark brown; upper surface, warni rufous, streaked with a very dark rich brown; part of upper surface of central tail feathers and upper tail coverts, very ruddy, greater portion of orter tail feathers, white; having an interual edge of brown (on inner web); penultimate feathers, fulvous white on onter web, with a narrow dark streak next the shaft; except the apical portion, the shafts of both these feathers are white; central feathers, broadly edged with rufous; lower surface of body fulvous or warm toned; breast, rather sparingly streaked, but very boldly so, with dark brown; abdomen and rest of lower parts, plain fulvous; checks and car coverts, rather rufous, and slightly speckled with brown; throat, plain fulvous; lining of wing, pale rufous; bill, horny brown, paler towards edges; and lower man- dible, pale reddish brown, except the tip which is dark. The absence of the pointed crest readily distinguishes this species from d.malabarica; and its large size and generally very rufous tone, separate it at a glance from 1. gulgula. The last species, it will be deva, Sykes, and must now stand as Spizalauda malabarica Scop. If, how ever, it is the true skylark, which Jerdon, I, and others have wrongly called malabarica, Scop., then it is identical with Mr. Brooks' d. australis, which is the only skylark of the Nilgiris, and Malabar Const. Although Jerdon and others used the name under a mistake, still as Scopolis's name goes into another genus, this bird must stand as Alauda malabarica, Jerd. nec Scop. Spizalandu dena, Sykes, again must not be confounded with S. similime, nobis, of Upper and Central India. ED., STRAY FEATHERS.
 * If this is Scopoli's, Alarda malabarica, then this is nothing but Spizalanda