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Show 628 MR. R, B. SHARPE ON THE [Nov. 17, 8. AMMOMANES ERYTHROCHLAMYS. Alauda erythrochlamys, Strickl. Contr. Orn. 1852, p. 151 ; Gray, Hand-1. B. ii. p. 118 (1870) ; Sharpe, Cat. Afr. B. p. 72 (1871) ; Gurney in Anderss. B. Dam. Ld. p. 194 (1872). Megalophonus erythrochlamys, Ayres, Ibis, 1874, p. 103, pi. iii. fig. 2. Adult.male in winter plumage. Above uniform pale fawn-colour, with indistinct shaft-stripes of dull rufous on some of the feathers of the head and back ; wing-coverts pale fawn, like the back, but with pale yellowish buff margins to the feathers ; quills pale brown, broadly margined with fawn-colour, the secondaries more broadly, the innermost being coloured like the wing-coverts and margined in the same manner with yellowish buff; tail dark brown, narrowly margined with fulvous fawn-colour, occupying the entire outer web of the last tail-feathers, and running round the tip and up the margin of the inner web of this and the penultimate feather ; the two centre feathers bleached fawn-colour, paler than the back ; lores, feathers below and above the eye, forming an eyebrow, and cheeks white, the ear-coverts pale fawn-colour like the back ; under surface of body creamy white, washed with fawn-colour on the sides of the body, the chest spotted with triangular markings of pale brown; thighs pale fawn; under tail-coverts creamy white; under wing-coverts buffy whitish, the greater series pale ashy brown, the outer plumes fawn-coloured ; inner lining of wing also pale ashy brown, inclining to pale fawn-colour at base of inner web. Total length 6'5 inches, culmen 075, wing 3-6, tail 2-8, tarsus P05. Summer plumage. The summer dress is different from the winter, and is of much rarer occurrence in collections; indeed I have only seen one example, the one figured by Mr. Ayres (/. c ) , which differs in the following particulars :- a. In being deeper cinnamon above, the quills and coverts all being edged with the same dark colour. b. In having the tail broadly edged and tipped with cinnamon rufous, the outermost feathers not paler-margined, the two centre ones being almost entirely cinnamon, with a broad streak of greyish black down the middle. c. In having a greyish shade on the hind neck, which is not seen in the winter dress. d. In having the lores, eyebrow, sides of face and underparts generally washed with yellowish ; and e. In having more numerous and more distinct brown spots on the chest. Young. Appears to differ from the adult only in having a few whitish tips to the feathers of the head and scapulars, the wing-coverts and quills being also much paler-edged. Hab. From the Transvaal (summer) to Damara Land (winter). This species is very closely allied to A. ferruginea, from which it differs in its smaller size and slightly more vinous cinnamon-colour. The female differs from the male in having a thinner and more slender bill; but the males do not seem to approach A. ferruginea ; nor does |