1917] The Ottawa Naturalist. 147 



several hundred. Thus they are soon found in large gatherings upon 

 ploughed fields, where they remain for about a month before dispersing 

 for their nesting grounds. It is, therefore, May before they commence 

 domestic duties, our earliest record for a nest with fresh eggs being 

 May 3. In selecting their breeding grounds these birds show a pre- 

 ference for the larger plains which are well away from trees of any 

 kind. The}- also nest in colonies like the Chestnut-colored Longspur, 

 in fact the summer homes of these two birds are very similar. The 

 nests of enthymia do not differ in any marked degree from those of 

 praticola, but they are usually in rather denser vegetation. 



Colonies of Oberholser's Horned Larks have been known to us 

 for a number of years situated on a small plain north-west of our 

 home. Another lot of almost a hundred have recently taken up their 

 quarters on some deserted fields which they have occupied for the last 

 two years. 



The fact that this race is gregarious seems to account for the 

 individuals being less pugnacious than the Prairie Horned Lark, and 

 perhaps, also, for their being less musical. Our observations indicate 

 that they rise less high in the air while singing and that their song is 

 softer and the notes less distinct. On account of their lateness in 

 commencing to nest it does not seem probable that there are more than 

 two broods in a season. Nor do the birds remain as long upon their 

 breeding grounds, but as soon as the nesting season is over they return 

 to the ploughed fields, where they are joined later on by other kinds 

 and so become hopelessly mixed from a naturalist's point of view. 



Thus it will be seen that while these two breeding races are 

 extremely difficult to tell apart, their habits are such as to leave no 

 doubt as to their distinctness. 



The Pallid Horned Lark and the Hoyt Horned Lark. 



Of the Pallid Horned Lark articola and Hoyt Horned Lark 

 hoyti we have little to write. They are, so far as we know, both 

 migrants only, and pass to other parts for nesting purposes. They 

 usually arrive within a few days of each other and with the Lapland 

 Longspurs in large flocks about April 6. Soon the ploughed fields 

 are swarming with them and their value as destroyers of noxious weed 

 seeds must be considerable. At this time they are somewhat secretive. 

 They nearly always run in a crouching attitude and squat down fiat 

 at the least alarm, when their colour resemblance to the surrounding 

 landscape makes them almost invisible from a short distance away. 

 The squatting action also prepares them for a spring upwards and as 

 one rises, in alarm, the others quickly follow, so that in a moment 

 thousands of birds are in the air rapidly darting up and down. Then 

 suddenly they drop onto the field again and all is quiet as before. 



It is an interesting sight to see these birds, in company with 



