The Birds of Wyoming. 103 



collection. No. 38348 and 10880 were taken at Fort Laramie, 

 the latter skin by Dr. Cooper. No. 10868 was taken at Fort 

 Bridger by Drexel. 



469. Empidonax wrightii Baird. 

 Wright's Flycatcher. 

 Summer resident ; abundant. Drexel reports this species 

 from Fort Bridger ; Jesurun finds them abundant at Doug- 

 las ; Bond has noted them at Cheyenne ; Gilmore found them 

 abundant in the Freezeout hills in 1897. There are three skins 

 in the University collection. 



LARKS. 



474 c. • Otocoris alpestris arenicola Hensh. 

 Desert Horned Lark. 



Resident and abundant. The early collectors referred 

 many specimens of horned larks to 0. a. lencolcema; but upon 

 careful investigation I can not find a single authentic record 

 of leiicohrma in Wyoming. This does not prove that it does 

 not exist. I have made large collections of these birds at 

 various times in the year, and many of these have been re- 

 ferred to Mr. Ridgway of the National Museum and in every 

 case he has referred the Wyoming birds to arenicola. Dr. 

 Jesurun from Douglas has likewise studied the horned larks 

 and has also found only the Desert Horned Lark in this state. 

 This is the most abundant bird in Wyoming and remains in 

 vast numbers all winter. I doubt if they migrate at all. Dur- 

 ing the approach of a severe blizzard, in the winter, these birds 

 congregate about ranches and towns in great flocks. I am 

 safe in saying that I have seen flocks with over a thousand 

 birds in, feeding about sheltered places, where the ground 

 was bare. As soon as the storm is over they scatter out, and 

 in passing over the plains one will find them everywhere. Their 

 food during the cold weather is entirely weed seeds. The rec- 

 ords of this species in the state are very abundant. Every col- 



