54 THE WILSON QUARTERLY. 



to think that they were too numerous about there ; that I 

 did not care particularly for any more birds that day ; so 

 started for the wagon, and drove back to town. 



From this day's hunt I made good skins of thirteen Gam- 

 bel's Partridge, two Chapparral Cock, one Mexican Gos- 

 hawk, one Long-eared Owl, three Abert's To whee, one Lucy's 

 Warbler, one Pileolated Warbler, two Orange crowned 

 Warblers, two Gila and one Baird's Woodpecker, three 

 Phainopepla, two Texan Nighthawk, two Crissal Thrasher, 

 three Rough-winged Swallow, and one Plumbeous Gnat- 

 catcher ; also the Gila monster. Besides I had several sets 

 of very desirable eggs. Back at four o'clock. A bath is 

 first in order to get off some of the dust and sand ; then I 

 measure and tag my specimens, work at skinning till past 

 midnight, and finish the job in the morning. 



Such is a partial account of a short collecting trip to this 

 desert valley ; and if any reader chooses to try it he may be 

 sure of plenty of specimens, with much to please, interest, 

 and instruct, and so much that is strange, weird, and seem- 

 ingly unnatural ; but the accomodations are sure to be of 

 the poorest, and I fear he may find some things disappoint- 

 ing, unpleasant, and postively annoying. 



THE PRAIRIE HORNED LARK. 



( Otocoris alpesUns praticola.) 



LYNDS JONES. 



More than a year ago* we began to tell the life history 

 of the prairie form of Otocoris, promising to complete it an- 

 other time. The seasons that have intervened have afford- 

 ed us opportunity for further study, and we feel sure that 

 no one will be the loser from the delay. 



The present paper is concerned only with the courtship 

 and nesting habits of these larks, leaving them when the 

 summer moult begins. 



Even in January, when the bright, warm sun has eaten 

 holes in Winter's mantle, and the buds on the more for- 

 "^ Semi-Annual, Vol. II, No. 2, July, 1890, p. 37. 



