258 NOTES ON THE 



Family ALAUDID.^. 



OTOCORIS ALPESTRIS PRATICOLA Henshaw (4746) 

 PRAIRIE HORNED LARK. 



This bird is variously called the Prairie Lark, Shore Lark, 

 Sky Lark, and Horned Lark. Its characteristic locality would 

 scarcely justify the name of Shore Lark, as it is decidedly a 

 dry land bird. Either of the others would not be inappro- 

 priate. But the two pencils of erectile feathers so located on 

 the head as to completely simulate horns, are so distinguishing 

 as to justly entitle it to the name Horned Lark. This species 

 is extensively distributed over the entire open sections of the 

 Northwest, from Hudson's Bay to and below the southern line 

 of Missouri, and from New York to California. 



Variations in size and the intensity of coloration have led 

 some ornithologists to the institution of several varieties. I 

 have met with individual representations of the whole series 

 within my province so many times that I have no use for these 

 varieties, even cum salis. 



It nests ver7 early, in the latitude of Minneapolis and St. 

 Paul. In favorable seasons I have met with nests as early as 

 the 9th of March, as I once flushed it from its nest at that date, 

 although it contained no eggs; but a week later I have met with 

 several with, on an average, two eggs. They sit so close at 

 such times that I have had my carriage wheel pass within ten 

 inches of the nest and not flush the bird. On one occasion, on 

 the open, rolling prairie, while walking cautiously in search 

 of possible nests, I had placed my foot directly over one, in 

 the act of putting it down, when the lark flitted out from under 

 it just in time to save itself, and the nest too, as the surprise 

 lengthened the falling step far enough to save the latter. In 

 all instances I have found that the ground had been hollowed 

 out for the nest to a depth sufficient to allow of a liberal lining 

 of grass and still leave the back of the brooding bird level with 

 the surrounding surface. Its colors, with this circumstance, 

 combine to protect the bird with its precious trust from the 

 rapacious hawks as well as the more rapacious oSligist. That 

 this species breeds occasionally three times I am confident. 

 The period of incubation reaches far into July occasionally. 



Some individuals are to be seen at almost any time in the 

 winter, during an open "spell of weather."' which is not a com- 

 mon meteorological event, by the way, and the great winter 



