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CALANDRA LARK.

Alauda Calandra, Pall.

L’ Alouette Calandre.

In its general form, robust body, and powerful bill, this bird very closely resembles the Alauda Tartarica ;
the countries, however, to which these birds resort are widely different, the Alauda Tartarica being almost
confined to the high northern regions, while the range of the Alauda Calandra extends nearly to the tropics :
it is very abundant in Northern Africa, and is common in Spain, Turkey, Italy, and the South of France, to
the north of which countries it is seldom seen. We have little to communicate respecting its habits and
manners, in all of which we believe it bears a striking resemblance to the Common Lark, Alauda arvensis.

It constructs its nest among the herbage, and lays four or five eggs, of a clear purple marked with large grey
spots.

Its food consists of insects, seeds, &c.

The sexes are only to be distinguished by the female being rather less in size, and by the black markings
on the sides of the neck being less developed.

The young, as will be seen, exhibit the usual characteristics of the genus, having the tips of all the feathers
margined with yellowish grey.

The upper surface is of a sandy grey, the centre of each feather being dark brown; quills dark brown
edged with whitish ; throat white bordered by a black lunulated stripe, beneath which the feathers are dirty
white varied with black; belly white; flanks and thighs brown; the outer tail-feather on each side white
on the outer web and tipped with white, the third edged with grey and tipped with white, the fourth
tipped with grey, the remainder of the tail black ; bill pale horn colour ; legs pale grey.

The Plate represents an adult male, and a young bird of the year, both of the natural size.