34 Trans. Aca-d. Sci. of St. Louis 



Their near relationship to the Goldfinches and Siskins 

 is at once noticed in their behavior, the same affectionate 

 and confiding disposition, allo\nng a near approach when 

 occupied in feeding on the seeds of herbs and grasses, 

 in the pnrsnit of wliicli they come into our towns and 

 suburbs. 



One of the best-known birds with a circumpolar dis- 

 tribution is the Horned or Shore Lark. It is known in 

 Europe and Asia, in northern South America, northern 

 Africa, and received its specific name Alpestris because 

 found as a breeder in the AJps. 



The type species, the one upon which the genus has 

 been based, breeds in northeastern North America and 

 in Europe and comes to the United States only in ^\'inter, 

 occasionally as far south as Missouri. At least it appears 

 that flocks of Horned Larks seen on the sandbars in the 

 Mississippi River opposite St. Louis belonged to this 

 subspecies, a geographic race that may be distinguished 

 from our resident subspecies praticohi by its large size, 

 darker color and yellow instead of white head-and-tliroat 

 markings. As the difference in size amounts to half an 

 inch it is quite obvious to a practiced eye, but the fact 

 that our Prairie Horned Lark is not known to frequent 

 sandbars at any season, but that the type species hai)it- 

 ually prefers large Hat tracts along the seacoast or inland 

 waters in the winter wanderings, seems to confirm our 

 identification. It is, however, true that in cases of sub- 

 species real proof is desirable and scientists are not to 

 be blamed for rejecting reports of unusual occurrences 

 not attested by specimens. As the West and Northwest 

 of North America are iiiliabited by other subs]K'cies, 

 there is a probability or possii)ility that some of our win- 

 ter visitants belong to one of those. The study of Horned 

 Larks is made still more complex because our l)reeding 

 subspecies is largely a resident bird and does not leave 

 us until driven away by deep snow. Even snow has no 

 horror for some of them who know where to find sus- 



