CROWS, JAYS, MAGPIES, ETC. 269 



Distribution. Coast region from British Columbia south to California. 



Nest. In a hollow, on dry ground, usually frail, made of fine dead weeds. 

 Eggs : usually - or 3, dull greenish or grayish, marked over entire surface 

 with gray or reddish, heaviest around larger end. 



474h. O. a. adusta Dwight. SCORCHED HORNED LARK. 1 



Pale like chrysolcema, but upper parts uniform scorched pink or pinkish 

 brown. Male : wing 4, tail 2.83, bill from nostril .36. Female : wing 3.73, 

 tail 2.48, bill from nostril .34. 



Distribution. From central southern Arizona, south to Mexico. 



4741. O. a. merrilli Dwight. DUSKY HORNED LARK. 



Similar to strigata, but larger, grayer above, streaking of back blacker 

 and back of neck paler, pinkish instead of ruddy brown ; less yellowish 

 below; eyebrow usually yellowish. Male: wing 4.07, tail 2. 80, bill from 

 nostril .35. Female : wing 3.72, tail 2.50, bill from nostril .34. 



Distribution. From British Columbia south between the Cascades and 

 Rocky Mountains ; in winter to Nevada and California. 



FAMILY CORVIDJE: CROWS : JAYS ; MAGPIES, ETC. 



KEY TO GENERA. 



1. Wing long and pointed. 



2. Plumage black Corvus, p. 279. 



2'. Plumage mainly gray or blue. 



3. Plumage blue Cyanocephalus, p. 284. 



3'. Plumage gray, black, and white Nucifraga, p. 282. 



1'. Wing short and rounded. 



2. Plumage black and white Pica, p. 269. 



2'. Plumage not black. 



3. Head crested Cyanocitta, p. 271. 



3'. Head not crested. 



4. Plumage mainly gray or blue. 



5. Plumage gray Perisoreus. p. 277. 



5'. Plumage blue Aphelocoma, p. 274. 



4'. Plumage mainly green and black . . . Xanthoura, p. 277. 



GENUS PICA. 



General Characters. Tail much longer than wing, graduated for half 

 its length or more, the feathers becoming narrower toward tips ; nostrils 

 covered by bristles ; orbits partly naked ; feet stout. 



KEY TO SPECIES. 



1. Bill and naked skin around eye black .... hudsoiiica. p. 270. 

 1'. Bill and naked skin around eyes yellow liuttalli, p. 271. 



1 Otocoris alpcstris occidentalis (McCall). 



Like adiixtu, but much larger, and decidedly less ruddy above, nape more pinkish, 

 back more dusky. 



Distribution. In summer, central New Mexico, west to central Arizona; in winter 

 south to Sonora ard Chihuahua, Mexico, and southeast to Texas. 



Otocoris alpestris aphrasta Oberholser. 



Like adusta, but back less reddish, back of neck and bend of wing more pinkish. 



Distribution. Extreme southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and Chi- 

 huahua, Coahuila, and Duraugo, Mexico. 



