DESERT HORNED LARK 337 



Montana: 46 records, April 10 to July 7; 23 records, May 7 to 

 June 4. 



New Mexico : 11 records, May 20 to July 6. 



New York : 14 records, March 19 to INfay 30; 8 records, April 1 to 22. 



Northwest Territories : 5 records, June 1 to July 18. 



Santa Barbara Islands : 5 records, April 4 to May 14. 



Saskatchewan : 4 records. May 15 to June 9. 



Texas : 22 records, February 20 to June 20 ; 12 records, April 24 to 

 May 23. 



Washington : 43 records. May 20 to June 25 ; 21 records, April 25 to 

 May 30. 



Wisconsin: 11 records, March 21 to June 25; 7 records. May 15 to 

 June 18. 



OTOCORIS ALPESTRIS LEUCOLAEMA (Coues) 



DESERT HORNED LARK 



Plates 47, 48 



HABITS 



On the more barren plains of the far West, we find this horned lark 

 replacing the familiar prairie horned lark of the more fertile prairie 

 regions of the Middle West. It is about the same size as and only 

 slightly paler than pi'aticola. In comparing it with neighboring races, 

 Dr. Oberholser (1902) says: "This form may be distinguished from 

 praticola by the markedly more cinnamomeous tint of cervix, upper 

 tail-coverts and bend of wing, as well as by the paler color of the back, 

 where the blackish of praticola is replaced by sandy brown. From 

 arcticola it differs in reduced size, usually yellow throat, nape more 

 tinged with cinnamomeous, lighter and brownish instead of blackish 

 back; from giraudi in larger size, generally paler throat, together 

 with paler, much more brownish upper surface; from merriUi in 

 larger size and lighter, more brownish coloration." 



In southwestern Saskatchewan, in 1905 and 1906, we foimd homed 

 larks very common on the prairies, on the barren hills north of Maple 

 Creek, and on the alkaline plains. As we drove along the narrow 

 wagon trails over the rolling plains, the monotony of the scenery was 

 often relieved by seeing one of thase little brown-backed birds run- 

 ning along in the wagon ruts ahead of the horses, perched on a clod 

 of earth beside the road, or springing into the air to pour out its 

 quaint little ditty, not quite equal to the rapturous flight songs of the 

 chestnut-collared longspurs but, nevertheless, pleasing. 



We collected a series of horned larks here and in Alberta, most of 

 which, particularly those taken on the prairies in the more eastern 



