878. Ammomanes phoenicuroides.
The Desert Finch-Lark.
Mirafra phoenicuroides, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxii, p. 583 (1853). Ammomanes phoenicuroides (Blyth), Horsf. & M. Cat. ii, p. 478; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 647 ; Oates in Hume's N. & E. 2nd ed. ii, p. 242. Ammomanes lusitanica (Gmel.), Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 422: Hume, N. & E. p. 478; id. S. F. i, p. 211. Ammomanes deserti (Licht), Hume, Cat. no. 759; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 276.
The Pale-rufous Finch-Lark, Jerd.
Coloration. Upper plumage greyish brown, tinged with rufous on the upper tail-coverts and slightly streaked with blackish on the crown; tail brown margined with pale rufous, the outer web of the outer tail-feather entirely of this colour, the bases of all the feathers tinged reddish ; wing-coverts and quills brown margined with pale fulvous, the inner web of all the quills largely pale rufous; lores brown; a ring round the eye and a line above and below the lores fulvous white; ear-coverts greyish brown; chin and throat pale fulvous white, with a few brown spots on the lower throat; remainder of lower plumage fulvous grey, with a few brown streaks on the breast; under wing-coverts and axillaries rufous.
Bill dusky above, yellowish beneath; feet pale yellow-brown (Jerdon).
Length about 7; tail 2.6; wing 4.1; tarsus .9; bill from gape .65.
Distribution. A permanent resident throughout Sind and the northern part of the Punjab, ranging west to the Persian Gulf.
Habits, &c. Breeds in April, May, and June, making its nest oil the ground and surrounding it with a circle of small pieces of stone. The eggs, three or four in number, resemble those of A. phoenicura and measure about .83 by .6.
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