Interior of British North America. 61 



Mr. Murray notes it from Hudson's Bay^ and Mr. Bernard Ross 

 from the Mackenzie. 



34. Neocorys spraguii. 



The Missouri Skylark, hitherto looked on as a rare bird, is 

 common on the prairies of the Saskatchawan during the breed- 

 ing-season. The first occasion on which I found it was in the 

 neighbourhood of Fort Carlton, on May 6th. When disturbed 

 from the prairie grass, which is its general haunt, it utters a 

 single chirp, and immediately mounts in the air by a circuitous 

 course, with a very undulating flight, to a great height, where it 

 rests in a peculiar manner on its outstretched wings, and utters 

 a very striking song, which it is difficult to describe, and I can 

 liken to nothing I know. The sound is repeated in a quick 

 succession of notes in the descending scale, each note being 

 lower than the preceding. The bird then usually descends to 

 the ground with great rapidity, almost like a stone, and some- 

 thing similar to a hawk swooping on its prey. These striking 

 manners, if once seen, are not to be forgotten ; and I should 

 recognize the note instantly, even if I heard it in the depths of 

 a mangrove-swamp in the tropics. I found it rather difficult of 

 approach, and hard to shoot. How this bii-d should have been 

 so long overlooked seems marvellous, for I do not know a 

 more common bird on the buffalo plains of the Saskatchawan 

 during summer, and it must consequently be a visitor to the 

 southern prairies. I find also, by my note-books, that I observed 

 it in Northern Minnesota on the 4th of May, 1859. My spe- 

 cimen from Fort Carlton was a male ; it measured in length 6| 

 inches, the wing 3^ inches, and bill along the ridge scarcely 

 half an inch; the eye was hazel; feet dull flesh-colour, tinged 

 with yellowish underneath ; bill above and at the point dusky, 

 remainder of under mandible flesh. The first four quill -feathers 

 were nearly equal and the longest, the fifth being |ths of an inch 

 shorter ; greater coverts tipped with dull white. It differs from 

 Anthus ludovicianus principally in the bill, legs, chin, line over 

 the eye, and tail-feathers. 



Mniotilta varia (the Black-and-white Creeper) and Oporornis 

 varius (the Connecticut Warbler) are given as doubtful by Mr. 

 Bernard Ross on the Mackenzie. 



