All the southern populations of West Africa Eremopterix leucotis (Stanley) have hitherto been known as as E.L. smithi (Bonaparte) ranging from South West Africa to Portuguese East Africa and Northern Rhodesia. Little attention has been given to the moults and plumages of this lark, but it appears that there are two quite distinct female plumages, one with a blackish upperside in which the feathers have light edges and another with a reddish upperside with slight dark mottling. When series are compared from various areas, it obvious that the birds commonly placed under smithi are not all alike. Typical smithi was described from the north Transvaal, and birds South West Africa can be separated by their female characters.