A study of Asiatic larks. Bulletin of the AMNH ; v. 97, article 5

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dc.contributor.authorVaurie, Charles.en_US
dc.contributor.authorKoelz, Walter, 1895-en_US
dc.date.accessioned2005-10-06T14:40:04Z
dc.date.available2005-10-06T14:40:04Z
dc.date.issued1951en_US
dc.descriptionp. 435-526, [1] leaf of plates : ill., maps ; 27 cm.en_US
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references.en_US
dc.description.abstract"This paper is a review of the larks breeding in Iran, Afghanistan, and India. In the case of Alauda, a formal review of all the forms east of the Caucasus is presented. Ten genera, treated in the following order, occur in Asia: Mirafra, Eremopterix, Ammomanes, Alaemon, Calandrella, Melanocorypha, Eremophila, Galerida, Alauda, and Lullula. The generic characters, which are briefly discussed, show much convergence. Twenty-three species breed in Iran, Afghanistan, and India. A key to the species and a table of distribution are given. Habitat preferences are mentioned. Some species have strict ecological requirements, and in these the limiting factor appears to be aridity. In others where the habitat seems more varied it is suggested that habitat preferences vary or may vary geographically. The correlation between the coloration of the plumage and the soil (cryptic coloration) is discussed. A large series of 73 samples from southern Europe, Mediterranean islands, Africa, and India shows that the correlation is strongest in Africa. A comparison of the desert species (Ammomanes deserti) and the semi-desert species (Galerida cristata), common to both Africa and the Iranian region, shows that in Africa these species have many more races and show abrupt variations in coloration. In the Iranian region the variation is conspicuously slight, although the physical factors of the environment are substantially the same and the background as variable as in Africa. It is postulated that the Iranian forms may wander more in search of suitable conditions and that general inconspicuousness in shade rather than close adaptation in hue is the determining factor in the protection against predation. The experiments of Dice are cited. The species characters are discussed. Differences in the wing formula and in the pattern of the plumage appear to be excellent species characters. A number of closely related forms that have been treated as conspecific are shown conclusively to be separate species. In every instance where these species are separated by a difference in the wing formula or shape of the wing they are found also to overlap and breed in the same regions, or, in one instance where there is no overlap, they are separated by abrupt differences in both the wing formula and the pattern of the plumage. In some cases all three factors are present. The forms hitherto treated as conspecific but thus separated are: Ammomanes phoenicurus and A. cincturus, Calandrella cinerea and C. acutirostris, probably C. rufescens and C. leucophaea, Melanocorypha bimaculata and M. calandra, and Alauda arvensis and A. gulgula. Molt and plumages are discussed. Larks show several types of molt. In most species there is only one molt a year, a complete postnuptial and a complete postjuvenal molt, and first winter birds are indistinguishable from adults. But in other species the postjuvenal molt is partial and is limited to that of the body feathers. In other species there is a double annual molt, a complete postnuptial and postjuvenal molt and a partial prenuptial molt, very full or limited to the feathers of the head. In still other species the first winter plumage differs from that of the adult"--P. 526.en_US
dc.format.extent21647611 bytes
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2246/952
dc.languageengen_US
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherNew York : [American Museum of Natural History]en_US
dc.relation.ispartofseriesBulletin of the American Museum of Natural History ; v. 97, article 5en_US
dc.subject.lccQH1 .A4 vol.97, art.5, 1951en_US
dc.subject.lcshLarks -- Asiaen_US
dc.subject.lcshMolting.en_US
dc.subject.lcshFeathers.en_US
dc.subject.lcshBirds -- -- Asia, Centralen_US
dc.subject.lcshBirds -- -- South Asiaen_US
dc.subject.lcshBirds -- Middle Easten_US
dc.subject.lcshKoelz, Walter, -- 1895- -- Natural history collections.en_US
dc.titleA study of Asiatic larks. Bulletin of the AMNH ; v. 97, article 5en_US
dc.title.alternativeAsiatic larksen_US
dc.typetexten_US

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