CALANDRELLA.
Bill short, conical ; inner secondaries much lengthened ; claws short ; sexes alike.
Calandrella brachydactyla brachydactyla (Leisler). SHORT-TOED LARK. Fr. Calancirelle ; Ital. Calandrino.
adult. Above sandy brown, with dark centres, crown very often rufous ; beneath huffy white, a few dark spots on foreneck and a patch on each side of neck dark brown ; inner secondaries very long, almost as long as primaries. Bill dark horn above, pale below. Legs and feet pale brownish. Wing, 4th primary shorter than 3rd, 88-95, Q 85-94. Tarsus 20-21. Bill 10-12. Young are spotted white above. Colour varies greatly according to colour of soil, being most rufous in Europe (Italy to Portugal) and a lighter red in N.W. Africa. In E. Europe the colour is greyer.
Breeds.—S. Europe, from Portugal and Spain through C. and S. France east to Rumania, Balkan Peninsula, Greece, Mediterranean Islands, S. Russia to Lower Volga, Urals, and Caucasus ; also N.W. Africa and Asia Minor to Persia. Rare in Europe to north of above range. Migratory ; occurs Egypt on passage and Sudan in winter.
C. brachydactyla hermonensis Tristram. A lighter and more rufous form with less conspicuous black markings, crown always reddish.
Morocco, S. Algeria (Hautes Plateaux to Oued Mya), S. Tunis, Egypt, Palestine.
C. brachydactyla longipennis (Eversmann). A greyer form without any rufous shade ; eye-stripe whiter. Wing, 3-5 m.m. shorter.
A West Asian race, which migrates S.W., occurring in Egypt, Greece, Algeria, and NV. Sahara in winter ; once in Britain.
Calandrella minor minor (Cabanis).
Lighter and more sandy than "brachydactyla," and without neck patches ; sides of throat, upper breast and sides of breast narrowly streaked ; secondaries 15 m.m. shorter than primaries, flanks reddish buff slightly streaked. Bill dull horn, paler at base below. Legs and feet pale brown. \Ving 90-94.
Tarsus 20-22. Bill 9-9.5 (H.). 9 slightly smaller.
Resident.—N. Africa, Morocco to Cyrenaica, north of the desert. In winter, occasional in Italy and Malta.
C. minor rufescens (\leillot). Above red brown with dark centres ; beneath creamy white generally stained by red soil ; spots on breast thicker and darker than in typical "minor," but less than in "apetzii" of Spain. \Ving d 88-91.5 (H.).
Resident.—Tenerife.
C. minor polatzeki Hartert. Smaller than "rufescens," paler and more sandy colour. \Ving d 87-S8, 2 82. Tarsus 19. Bill 8.
Resident—Canary Islands (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, and Gran Canaria).
C. minor apetzii (Brehm). Darker and browner than typical form or "heinei " ; throat and flanks as well as breast very boldly streaked.
Resident.—S. Spain (Andalusia to Valencia).
C. minor heinei (Homeyer). Resembles typical form, but greyer above, and flanks more streaked ; also larger. Wing d 95-100. Tarsus 21-22.5 (H.).
Breeds.—S. Russian Steppes north almost to Orenburg, and in Transcaspia. Accidental Italy and Malta. Egypt in winter.
C. minor nicolli Hartert. Darker and browner than typical form ; bill dark horn grey.
Ilreeds.—Egypt (Nile Delta).