weve Calandra Lark, a partial migrant, and wintering in the desert and the large Calandra Fact g g and in the north, especially under Hermon.” ‘abundant in the great plains south of Seville, abundant of all was, perhaps, southern wilderness, but breed Mr. Howard Saunders states where it breeds, making ts nest. 1n The eggs, though small for the size of the bird, In the Isla Menor, a great place for Bustards, the Calandra 1s especially abundant. The Rev. A. ©. Smith, in his ” Sketch of the birds of Portugal,’ tells us that the “ Calandra Lark is here throughout the open plains and fields, and the most favourite cage-bird among the they may be counted by dozens in a single street, in their cages outside ing in the corn-plains that the Calandra Lark is a depression of the ground, often at the depth of three or four inches. are, however, very distinct from those of Galerita cristata. common everyw inhabitants of villages and towns 5 the windows and doors.” : : 0 : : ae : 5 are me? a Aloe: soc Wilteat leaeaoreeeh Mr. Salvin, in his ‘ Five months’ Birds’-nesting in the Eastern Atlas,’ remarks : The large size of the Calandra makes it conspicuous among its congeners 10 places where the other species are found. It seeks Galerita cristata and Calandrella brachydactyla, though in some the pastures and corn-fields more than The number of eggs varies from three to five ; oS 9 places all three are found together in equal abundance. : 3 oe laid about the second week in May, but some earlier. they are are to be observed in summer in Corfu, where they breed. Lord Lilford writes, ‘a few of this species I have never observed this bird on the mainland.” Mr. Robson, of Ortakeuy, informed Messrs. Sharpe and Dresser that they associate in large flocks and many of them are shot by and in much request for eating. They affect “it is common in Turkey in Europe, and in Asia Minor. In the winter sportsmen for the table, as they are large plump birds, mountains and large plains, but seem to prefer hilly tracts, and are found both on cultivated and uncultivated They stay over the year, and make their nests on the ground.” ‘Mr. Gervase F. Mathew,” “has kindly sent us the following :—‘ The male, on commencing his song, springs from ing motion describes a series of large circles, until he rises to an ground. say the same authors, the ground, and with a graceful undulat immense height; his song is then clear and beautiful, but at close quarters it is piercing and unpleasant. The callenote is loud and harsh, and somewhat similar to that of Emberiza miliaria. At Gibraltar it is frequent ; and many are caught on the neutral ground by bird-catchers, who use clap-nets with decoy-birds. A heavy price is asked for a good singer.’ ” Count Mible says this “is undoubtedly the commonest bird in Greece, and enlivens, even before day- break, the flat country with its song. Its favourite resorts in summer are dried-up swamps and meadows, where cattle graze and, here and there, wild flowers grow. Here it Is continually running about after insects, and sings incessantly on clods of earth and heaps of mould thrown out of ditches. When it rises, singing in the air, it never soars so high as Alanda arvensis. It nests in open fields, making a carelessly formed nest out of grass straws, which contains four or five eggs. Numbers are caught near Patras and Missolonghi, and sold at Constantinople. They are very obstinate; and when caught old, many will not sing ; therefore young birds are preferred.” Captain Loche describes its note as “ loud and agreeable ; and ‘sings like a Calandra’ means to sing well.” ; Von Nordmann, in his account of this bird in Demidoff’s ‘ Voyage,’ says :—‘‘ During the breeding-season the males ey be seen pursuing each other with ardour, performing most peculiar aerial evolutions, rising ae i ee oe pee or the wings, spreading and shaking the tail, describing o sl , ring their sonorous and varied song, which is chiefly borrowed from that of other es s : Pe oe a, eee ea. in size, and are SOSH a0RS as small as paps of the specimen, and the smallest an Algerian Bese = ee ee a aoe _ ‘ a the spots, which are closely scattered a ce a Brau ese One is dull grey with! a) bot ang y red, are of two kinds—the underlying shell-markings, which are purplish grey and light brown, and the overlying surface-blotches, which ar ie , are pale umber and nut-brown. The sexes are very similar i ae y similar in outward appearance, the female merely differing in being slightly smaller g the black spots on the breast rather less conspicuous The figures are about the size of life.