268 LARKS 



ditions, the northeru ones encountering snow, and the Mexican ones 

 such intense desert heat that they are sometimes seen with mouths 

 open standing- in rows in the shade of fence posts and weeds. 



474b. O. a. praticola Hensh. Pkairie Horned Lark. 



" Like leucokema but darker, less ochraceous above, the supercihary 

 stripe usually without yellow." (Oberholser.) 



Distribution. — Breeds from southern Canada to Pennsylvania and Kansas, 

 and from Maine to eastern Nebraska ; migrates to the Carolinas and Texas ; 

 casually west to Colorado and Arizona, 



474e. O. a. arenicola Hensh. Desert Horned Lark. 



Arenicola and leucokema are identical forms, as has been shown by the 

 rediscovery of the type of leucolcema. (See Oberholser, pp. 822, 823.) 



474d. O. a. giraudi Hensh. 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, wing about 3.50, tail 2.35. 



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

 Galveston Bay to the Rio Grande. 



474e. O. a. chrysolsema (Wagl.). Mexican Horned Lark.^ 



Upper parts ruddy, more brownish in female ; nape, shoulders, and rump 

 light ruddy brown in marked contrast to back ; breast pure white, un- 

 marked in both sexes. Male : length 6.75-7.25, wing 3.80-4.15, tail 2.80- 

 3.00. Female : length 6.50-7.00, wing 3.75-3.80, tail 2.70-2.80. 



Distribution. — Coast district of California and south to Lower Cali- 

 fornia. 



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



Similar to cAry.so^fpwa, but smaller and brighter colored; whole upper 

 parts ruddj' , colors of nape merging into those of back ; forehead, super- 

 ciliary, 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, tail 2.35-2.65. 



Distribution. — Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys, California. 



474g. O. a. strigata Hensh. Streaked Horned Lakk.-^ 



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

 imder parts partly or whollv 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. 



^ The California bird has been found to be separable from cJirysolsema of Mexico and 

 has been named O. a. actia by Mr. Oberholser. 



2 Otocoris alppstris amnwphila Oberholser. 



Like rubea, but neck and back paler, less reddish. 



Bix/ribntion. — In summer, the Mohave Desert, north to Owens Valley, south to the 

 Mexican boundary line. 



3 Otocoris alpestris insnlaris Townsend. Island Horned Lark. 



Like strigata, but without yellow tinge on under parts : much darker than chn/so- 

 Iceyna, with streaks on back sharper, and sides much darker. 

 Distribution. — The Santa Barbara Islands, California. 



