184 Notes on the Skylarks of India.
Notes on the Skylarks of India. By W. E. Brooks, Esq., C. E., Dinapore.
MR. HUME's paper on the Skylarks of India (Stray Feathers, p. 38), and Messrs. Sharpe and Dresser's article in the Birds of Europe, on Alauda arvensis, lead me to make a few remarks.
I differ from Mr. Hume as to the number of good species in India, and instead of two, I would recognize five, viz.: Hodgson. ALAUDA DULCI Vox. A. triborhyncha. Hodgson. 1.
A. arvensis. 2. ALAUDA GUTTATA. 3. ALAUDA GULGULA. Brooks. Franklin. A. triborhyncha. Hodgson. A. leiopus vel, orientalis. A. cochion. Swinhoe. 4. ALAUDA MALABARICA, Scopoli. 5.
ALAUDA AUSTRALIS. Brooks, n. sp. 4. gulgula. Franklin.
Erroneous synonyms are distinguished from true synonyms by an asterisk.
1. ALAUDA DULCIVOX, Hodgson, is the only Indian Skylark, having a general resemblance to the European Alanda arvensis, and which has therefore been erroneously identified with it by Messrs. Hume, Sharpe, and Dresser. By Dr. Jerdou, it is errneously identified with dlanda triborhyncha, Hodgson; which latter, I may observe, is a sparions species, and identical with Alanda gulyula, Franklin.
There are several marked points of difference between Alauda dulcivor and A. arcensis, which should be noted. 1. Alauda dulciro has a longer wing. 2. Much purer white on the abdomen. 3. Much less rufous in general tone of plumage, and particularly so with regard to the rafons edgings of wing coverts.
- According to my present view there must be either two, or eight species.
Specimens, I am thankful to record have been coming in from all quarters, and the more I examine, the more convinced I am, that although the local races are very numerous, (I already reckon cight), there are anly two distinct species, all the races of each of which inosculate and run one into the other, so that, lay down what diagnosis you may, you will always find specimens which may be equally correctly assigned to either of two races.-E., STRAY FEATHERS. It is a painful fact illustrative of the wrong-headed obstinacy of some people, that Messrs. Sharpe, Dresser, and Hune persist in retaining this erroneous opinion and this too, (it is really too bad of them,) after Mr. Brooks has deli- berately decided that they are quite wrong! wretched mortals, what will happen. to them?-ED,, STRAY FEATHERS.
