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Show 1874.] LARKS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA. 625 from Sir Andrew; but we have the type of his A. codea, without doubt the example described, but not the original of h.3 figure, which, it will be seen, does not tally with the description at all. Luckily the very specimen figured is in the Museum, and I am enabled therefore to state that it is an example of C. nivosa of Swainson (C. albescens, Lafr.), which I consider to be nothing but the winter plumage of A. lagepa. Although not possessing the actual type of A. lagepa, we have specimens in the Museum which thoroughly agree with Smith's description and figure; and intermediate in plumage between true A. lagepa and A. albescens is the typical specimen of A. codea; while Mr. Layard's skins from the Berg River are also changing, in m y opinion, from summer to winter. There is a gradual cinnamon tint pervading the whole grey upper plumage that leaves little doubt as to its changing ultimately into the full-plumaged A. lagepa. The ear-coverts are already light cinnamon. The following are the measurements of the series examined :- Culm. wing. tail, tarsus. in. in. in. in. a, ad. hiem., S. Africa (Smith) 07 3*35 2*5 1*0 b, imm., S. Africa (Smith) 0*7 3*45 2*7 c, ad hiem., Capetown (Butler) 0*65 3*25 2*6 0*95 d, ad. hiem, Berg River (Layard) 0*7 3*35 2*5 0*95 e, ad. hiem., Berg River (Layard) .... 0*75 3*6 2*75 1*0 /, ad. aestiv., S. Africa (Layard) 07 3*65 2*8 1*05 This species does not seem to vary in size so much as some of the other South-African Larks. Specimens e and f have larger and appreciably thicker bills and are probably males, though Smith says that in the only male A. codea he obtained the bill was " considerably shorter than in adult females, more conical, and the culmen towards the point less curved." Hab. Western parts of the Cape colony, ranging from Capetown to Little Namaqua Land. Specimens examined. E mus. Brit. :-a, ad. vix aestiv. South Africa (Sir A. Smith, type of A. codea). b, c, 3 2 sestiv. Grootberg, Little Namaqua Land (C. J. Andersson). d, ad. hiem. Cape of Good Hope (J. Gould), e, ad. hiem. S. Africa (Sir A. Smith, specimen figured by him /. c). E mus. R. B. S. :-a, ad. aestiv. S. Africa (E. L. Layard). b, c, 2 hiem. Berg River (E. L. Layard). d, ad. hiem. Capetown (W. Butler). E mus. H. B. Tristram :-a. South Africa (Layard). 3. HETEROCORYS, gen. n. The type of this genus is a rare bird, the A. breviunguis of Sun-devall, which has the appearance of an Alamon, and a similar nostril, this character separating it from Ammomanes, which it resembles in its long tarsus and in the proportions of its bill. |
