^.f^' 



140 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



although the oilier characters are somewhat similar. Calandrilia of Cabanis, 

 with the same lack of first primary, has a much stouter bill. The spurious 

 primary, more depressed bill, and differently constituted nostrils and nasal 

 fossae of Alauda are readily distinctive. 



The type of this genus is 

 the Alauda alpcstris, Linn., 

 a well-known cosmopolitan 

 •S--' species, though tlie birds of 

 the New World have been 

 distinguislied under distinc- 

 tive names, as coriiiUa, chry- 

 solcema, percgrina, etc. The 

 examination and critical com- 

 parison of more than a hun- 

 Ertmopuin aifesins ^ij.gj spccimeHS froui all parts 



of North America, however, has convinced us of the identity with alpestris 

 of the several forms mentioned aliove, though it may lie advisable to retain 

 one or more of them as geographical races. 



Species and Varieties. 



E. alpestris. Adult. Above pinkish-gray, varying to cinnamon, the pinkish 

 deepest on nape and lesser wing-coverts ; tail black (except two middle feathers), 

 the outer feather edged with white. Beneath white, the sides pinki.<;h or grayish. 

 A frontal band and .superciliary .stripe, the middle of auricular.*, chin, and throat 

 varying from white to deep Naple.s-yellow ; forepart of crown, and " ear-tuft.*," a 

 patch on lores and cheeks, and a broad crescent across the jugulura, deep black ; 

 end of auriculars ashy. Female and antiujinal males, with the pattern less 

 sharply defined, and the colors more suffused. Young. Brownish-black above, 

 more or less mixed with clay-color, and sprinkled with whitish dots; wing- 

 feathors all bordered with whitish. Beneath white. Markings on head and 

 jugulum just merely indicated by du.skj- cloudings. 



Wing (of adult m.ile), 4.20 to 4.60 ; tail, 2.90 to 3.16; culmcn, .60 to .6.5. 

 White frontal band, .25 to .30, wide; the black prefrontal patch, .26 to .35 

 wide. The pinkish above of an ashy-lilac .shade. 



Throat and forehead white, with only a very faint tinge of yellow; 

 pinkish tinge above more rufous. Halt. Interior Northern Plains of 



the United States var. occidenialis. 



Throat and forehead pale straw-yellow, or strongly tinged with it ; 



pinkish tinge above varying from ashy-lilacous to purplish-rufous. 



Hab. Northern regions of Old and New Worlds . . var. alpestri.<!. 



Wing (adult male), 3.80 to 4.10; tail, 2.75 to 2.90; culmen, .53 to .62. 



White frontal band, .13 to .16 wide; the black prefront.al patch .35 to .50 



wide. Pinkish above of a deep cinnamon shade. Huh. Desert plains of 



South Middle Province of United States, and table-lands of Mexico, south 



to Bogota . . . . . . . . var. chry sola tn a . 



