761.  Calandrella brachydactyla, Temminck.

Alauda, apud Temminck - Horsf., Cat. 714 - Al. calandrella, BONELLI - Blyth, Cat. 736 - Alauda dukhunensis, Sykes, Cat. 99 - Jerdon, Cat. 187 - A. arenaria, Stephens - Emberiza baghaira, Franklin - E. olivacea, Tickell - Baghaira, or Bagheyri or Baghoda, H. -  Ortolan of Europeans in India.

The Short-toed or Social Lark.

Descr. - Upper parts pale rufescent sandy, streaked with dusky; a stripe over the eye, and the whole under parts, fulvous-white, tinged with earthy brown on the breast, which is spotless in some, in a few slightly spotted; wings dusky brown, with fulvous edgings, broader and deeper-colored on the tertiaries, and on the tips of the coverts, and with a whitish edge to the first developed primary ; tail dusky, the penultimate feather having the outer web white-edged, and the outermost feather with the outer web wholly white to near the base, and also some of the inner web. In old or worn plumage the dusky tinge prevails on the back the breast has some narrow dusky streaks, and a patch of the same appears on each side of the lower part of the foreneck ; this is also slightly observable in newly moulted specimens.

Bill whitish horny, dusky on the ridge of upper mandible; legs brownish, darker at the joints; irides dark brown. Length 6 ¼ inches ; wing 4 ; tail 2 1/4; tarsus 8/10 ; hind toe with claw about 6/10.

This species is widely distributed throughout Asia, Europe, and Africa, and has even been once killed in Britain. It is found throughout India, more rare to the extreme south, and it has not been observed in Ceylon, but numerous in the Deccan, and thence northwards to the foot of the Himalayas, but not in the countries to the eastward.

The short-toed Lark appears in India in October and November, in flocks, frequenting the bare grass downs, frequently damp spots near tanks, also grain fields and ploughed land, and it almost always retires to cornfields or grass for shelter during the heat of the day, whence It does not In general issue again till next morning, for they are seldom seen flying about or feeding in the afternoon or evening.   It feeds almost entirely on seeds ; both runs and hops on the ground, and has a call note like that of the real Larks. Towards the end of March in the south, April in the north of India, different flocks often unite into vast troops, containing many thousand birds, and quite darkening the air, so close do they keep together, even when flying. Great numbers are netted in some parts of the country, or taken by bird-lime, or shot; for when feeding, they keep close to each other. On one occasion, on the cavalry parade-ground at Kamptee, I bagged twelve dozen birds after discharging both barrels, and many wounded birds escaped. They get quite fat about this time, and are really very excellent eating, and they are always called Ortolan by Europeans in India. They leave the north of India about the end of April, or beginning of May, and they breed in the steppes of Central Asia, Eastern Russia, and also in Northern Africa, placing their nest on the ground at the edge of a scrub or bush, and laying four to six eggs, usually marked with grey and rufous spots, but sometimes, it is said, unspotted yellow brown.

Alauda leucoptera, Pallas, from North Asia, is placed as a Calandrella by Bonaparte. The Calandre Larks (Melanocorypha, Boie) are large species, with very thick convex bills; wings with the first primary very minute or wanting, and the tertiaries not elongated. The hind claw is straight and of moderate length. They are chiefly inhabitants of Northern and Central Asia, the South and East of Europe, and of Africa. Their habits are said to be that of the last bird, and of Alauda, but that they keep aloof from cultivation. One species, M. torguata, Blyth, M. bimaculata of Menetries, is the Bokhara Lark of some Europeans in the North-west, the Jull of the natives. It is a favorite song bird of the Afghans, and is often brought to the Punjab, Cashmere, and even to Calcutta. It is very like M. calandra, but is considered generically distinct by Blyth, and named Calandrina, having a longer and less robust bill. Its general color is much as in Cal. brachydactyla, but with a large blackish patch on each side of the breast above, tending to meet across; beneath whitish, upper parts dusky, with pale sandy edgings. Length about 7 ½ inches; wing 4 1/2; tail 2 1/4. It is quite possible that this Lark may yet be found in the extreme North-west Provinces, it being common in Afghanistan. To this genus also belong Al. tartarica, Pallas, of North Asia, almost entirely black in summer dress, (occasionally killed in Europe) ; and A. mongolica, Pallas. Al. clot-bey, Temminck and Bonaparte, belongs to the same group ; but, from its very thick and deeply notched bill, has been separated as Ramphocoris, Bonap.

The next form is not unlike the preceding one, but smaller, and less social in its habits.