The whole of the plumage, bill, and feet, sandy rufous brown, which is lightest on the throat and centre of the abdomen; primaries near their extremities passing into blackish brown; and each of the tail feathers with a large oval spot of blackish brown near the tip.
Habitat, St. Jago, Cape Verde Islands. (September.)
This bird inhabits the most arid plains of lava; it runs, and in its habits resembles, in many respects, a lark.
Pyrrhalauda nigriceps. Gould.
P. supra fuscescenti albâ, plumis medio obscurioribus; fronte, genis lineâque pectoris utrinque albis; corpore infra lineâque à basi rostri supra oculos ad occiput transiente nigris; caudæ plumis mediis nigrescentibus fuscescenti albo marginatis, plumis externis atris.
Long. tot. 4⅝ unc.; alæ, 2⅞; caudæ, 1⅝; tarsi, ⁶⁄₁₀; rost. ⁴⁄₁₀.
Upper surface brownish white, with the middle of the feathers darker; the front, cheeks, and a line on each side of the breast white; beneath the body, and a line from the bill passing over the eyes to the hind head, black; the tail with the middle feathers blackish, margined with brownish white, the outer feathers deep black; the bill and feet pale.
Habitat, St. Jago, Cape Verde Islands. (September and January.)
Like the last species, this bird inhabits sterile lava plains; it runs like a lark, and generally goes in small flocks.