268 LARKS 



474d. O. a. giraudi HensL Texan Horned Lark. 



Upper parts grayish (especially in female) ; male with superciliary, 

 throat, and breast usually pale yellow, breast usually marked with gray- 

 ish brown in both sexes. Male : length 6.50-6.75, wing about 3.80-3.85, 

 tail 2.60. Female : length 5.80-6.00, wung about 3.50, tail 2.35. 



Distribution. — Coast region of Texas and northeastern Tamaulipas, from 

 Galveston Bay to the Rio Grande region. 



474e. O. a. actia Oberh. California Horned Lark. 



Upper parts rufescent ; nape, shoulders, and rump pinkish, in contrast 

 to back ; forehead, superciliary, and throat pale yellow ; rest of under 

 parts white. Male : wing 3.T0-4.05, tail 2.44-2.75. 



Distribution. — Southern California, including Mohave Desert, Owen 

 Valley, and San Joaquin Valley. 



474f. O. a. rubea Hensh. Ruddy Horned Lark. 



Back of head and neck brick red, rest of upper parts suffused with red : 

 forehead, superciliary, and throat yellowish; sides marked with reddish 

 brown. Male : length 6.50-7.00, wing 3.70-4.10, tail 2.60-2.90. Female : 

 length 6.00-6.50, wing 3.50-3.70, taU 2.35-2.65. 



Distribution. — Sacramento Valley, California. 



474g. O. a. strigata Hensh. Streaked Horned Lark. 



Back heavily streaked with black in sharp contrast to deep ruddy nape ; 

 under parts partly or wholly yellow. Male : length 6.75-7.25, wing 3.70- 

 4.10. tail 2.70-3.05. Female:' length 6.25-6.50, wing 3.60-3.85, tail 2.50- 

 2.80. 



Distribution. — Coast region from British Columbia south to California. 



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

 Eggs : usually 2 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.^ 



Pale like occideiitalis, but back much darker, 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. 



474i. 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. 



474j. O. a. pallida Dwight. Pallid Horned Lark. 



Back of head and neck pale pinkish ; rest of upper parts grayish, streaked 

 with pale brown ; forehead and superciliary white, faintly av ashed with 

 yellow ; throat pale yellow. 



1 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, Goahuila, and Durango, Mexico. 



