Page:The Common Birds of Bombay.djvu/163

Rh at heaven's gate, but they try to keep up the traditions of the family by soaring to a little height and then closing their wings and warbling, or whistling, as they fall. Jerdon calls them Finch Larks. The commonest is the Black-bellied Finch Lark (Pyrrhidauda grisea), a happy little dust-coloured bird with a very squat figure. The breast and underparts of the male are black and there is a black cross on the throat. You may disturb this bird at its dust bath on any of the roads that cross the Flats. The other species is the Rufous-tailed Finch Lark (Ammomanes phoenicura), a large, dark brown bird, easily recognised by a rich rusty red colour about the tail. It also has a noticeably squat figure, too broad for its size. It goes in pairs and may be seen anywhere in the open region between Tardeo, Worlee, and Parel. All the Larks make their nests on the ground, or rather lay their eggs on the ground, for there is sometimes not much nest. They usually choose the hot season, when the ground is dry, and their dingily-speckled eggs are hard to find.