as also the greater part of the inner web of the quills; I bill
yellowish brown, shaded on culmen with brownish red; tarsi and
toes sienna-yellow, brightened with flesh-red ; iris light chestnut
(Sir A. Smith).
Total length, 6‘5 inches; culmen, 0'6; wing, 3'65; tail, 2-7 ;
tarsus, 1*1.
Adult female.—Similar to the male. Total length, 5'5 inches;
culmen, 0-6; wing, 3-25; tail, 2-25; tarsus, 09.
' The summer plumage is different from the winter dress only in
being much darker by reason of the absence of light margins to the
feathers of the upper surface, which is also much more rufous;
underneath the chest is washed with rufous, and the black spots are
more distinct; the inner lining of the wing is also deeper and more
leaden grey.
Fig. Smith, 111. Zool. S. Afr. Aves, pi. lxxxviii, fig. 2.
514. M ira fra NiEviA (StricJcl.). Dark-lined Lark.
The present bird and all the remaining African species of Mirafra
have no rufous base of the quills, the primaries being merely edged
with rufous, this colour being confined to the outer web.
Mirafra ncevia has the outer tail-feathers black, narrowly margined
with isabelline, and the inner lining of the wing leaden grey, as also
the under wing-coverts, the inner webs of the primaries narrowly
edged with isabelline. It resembles the next species, but has a
larger and stouter bill. As far as is known, the present species is
an inhabitant of Damara Land, ranging into the Transvaal and the
eastern districts of the Cape Colony. Mr. Andersson tells us that it
is a very common bird about Otjimbinque : it is by no means timid,
and settles on trees and bushes as well as on the ground. Its food
consists of seeds and insects. We have also received specimens
from Grriqua Land, in summer plumage, collected by Mr. T. C.
Atmore. Those obtained by Mr. Andersson in Damara Land were
in winter plumage, and it probably migrates northward in the cold
weather. Specimens from Great Namaqua Land (Andersson), are
also in the British Museum.
The following note by Mr. Andersson given under the heading of
M. sabota in his work, also belongs to the present species:—“ I
met with this Lark at various places north of the Omaruru River,
where, although rather local, it is abundant in some localities, and
especially in Ondonga, On the 25th of April, I found its nest in
the last-named locality, containing three eggs of a very elongated
form, and much pointed at one end. Other nests which I met with
on various occasions were either empty or oontained young birds.
The nest is composed of fine grasses, and is built upon the ground
into which the lower portion of it is sunk to the depth of two or
three inches; it is placed between and resting against two stout
plants, and is round and dome-shaped, with one large opening to
the Southward, the side farthest from the wind and rain. I am always
delighted to hear this bird as it makes the welkin ring with its
sonorous song and call, composed of a series of notes, which it utters
either when perched on a tree, or when moving from one spot to
another. Whilst thus flying and singing it may be seen alternately
to open and close its wings, sometimes almost bringing them to
meet over its back, when it appears for the moment to be suspended
in the air.
Adult male in summer plumage.—Above sandy rufous, with dark
brown centres to the feathers, the head with rather paler sandy
margins-; the hind neck distinctly inclining to ashy, and separating
the head from the back; scapulars blackish in centre, with very
broad margins of sandy rufous on each side; wing-coverts coloured
like the back, with concealed blackish centres to the feathers, which
are margined with sandy, shading off into fulvous on the extreme
edge, the greater series more broadly margined, the primary coverts
more narrowly; quills blackish, the primaries narrowly tipped
with greyish white and margined externally with sandy rufous, the
secondaries much more broadly, and bordered with fulvous on their
extreme edge; upper tail-coverts sandy rufous, inclining to brown
in the centre of the feathers, and narrowly tipped with greyish buff;
tail black, very narrowly margined and tipped with sandy buff, the
centre feathers broadly margined with sandy rufous, the outermost
externally margined with a narrow edging of light sandy colour,
changing to white at extreme tip : lores and a tolerably plain eyebrow
isabelline; feathers in front of the eye dusky, those under it
isabelline, and marked with blackish; ear-coverts dark brown, very
plainly and regularly streaked with sandy buff; throat and cheeks
white, the latter washed with isabelline on the chest and sides
of the body, the lower throat and chest plainly spotted with
. triangular markings of light brown; under wing-coverts ashy brown,