364 BULLETIN 17 9, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



land form, the California horned lark, from which this race probably 

 originated, developing independently certain characters similar to 

 those of the streaked horned lark, with which it was formerly 

 confused. 



OTOCORIS ALPESTRIS ACTIA Oberholser 



CALIFORNIA HORNED LARK 



Plate 53 



HABITS 



The California horned lark was formerly considered to be identical 

 with the Mexican horned lark {chrysolaema) ^ but Dr. Oberholser 

 (1902) has shown that it differs from that race and has given it 

 the above name. He describes it as "similar to Otocoris a. chryso- 

 laenvx, but upper surface paler, more rufescent; yellow of throat and 

 head of not so deep a shade. * * * From nibea, with which it 

 intergrades in central California, actia differs in the much more pink- 

 ish tint of cervix, rump and bend of wing, as well as in its more 

 grayish back which is usually in more or less abrupt contrast to the 

 color of the nape." It is somewhat smaller than chrysolaema. Al- 

 though there are other races of the horned lark in California, actia 

 seems to enjoy the widest range, which extends from San Francisco 

 Bay south to northern Lower California and east to the San Joaquin 

 Valley. 



James B. Dixon (MS.) says of its haunts: "This bird is a common 

 resident in the salt-grass pastures and drier barren areas, from 2,600 

 feet elevation to sea level. Its favorite nesting locations are the 

 dry, high humps in salt-grass cow pastures that are well grazed 

 and do not have very much cover. They also nest in vineyards at 

 the bases of the vines and in sparsely growing grainfields of all kinds. 

 Their liking for closely cropped barren areas is well demonstrated 

 by their nesting commonly on golf courses." 



John G. Tyler (1913) says of its haunts in the Fresno District: "In 

 former years, when large tracts of land north and east of Fresno 

 were devoted to grain fanning, the California Homed Lark was 

 one of the most abundant birds to be found in the district; but it 

 has not responded favorably to the settlement of the country and 

 is now rare in many parts of the valley. * * * j^- seems that for 

 feeding and nesting these birds must have dry, barren ground al- 

 most free from shrubbery." 



Nesting. — My experience with the nesting of the California horned 

 lark has been limited to the finding of two nests on March 20, 1929, 

 while driving over the open plains in southern Kern County with 



