WITH BROWN PREDOMINATING 205 



From the Sierra Nevada to the coast, and from San 

 Diego north to the vicinity of San Francisco, it is called 

 the " Mexican Horned Lark " ; in the upper Sacramento 

 valley we find the " Ruddy " and south through the in- 

 terior to San Josd and Santa Barbara the " Streaked." 

 In the northeastern corner, east of the Sierra Nevada, 

 the species is known as the " Dusky," and that found 

 on Santa Barbara Island is designated as the '^ Island 

 Horned Lark." The distinction between these forms is 

 one of size and color of plumage rather than structure or 

 habits ; and while all are listed for purposes of identifi- 

 cation, the description here given of the habits of the 

 "Pallid" or "Desert" Horned Lark is true of all. 



This is an abundant resident in the deserts of South- 

 eastern California, east of the Sierra Nevada and through 

 the Great Plains and Great Basin of the United States. 

 It is characteristically terrestrial in all its ways, nesting 

 and feeding on the ground, and is never found in heavily 

 wooded districts. As its name implies, the arid, sandy 

 regions where only stunted growth is found are the 

 favorite haunts of this species. The others of its fam- 

 ily, while equally terrestrial, prefer fallow fields, prairies, 

 meadows, or edges of wet lowlands. The name of 

 Horned Lark has bec!i given them on account of the 

 erectile tufts of black feathers on cither side of the head, 

 which, in anger, surprise, or the ardor of wooing, stand 

 erect like tiny black horns. By this you may know 

 them at first sight and love them ever after. Except 

 during the breeding season, these birds are found in 

 flocks; but as soon as the si)ring rains are over they 



