276 AVES : PASSERES. — XLVI. 
chiefly Old World birds, a single genus in America; some of them 
are renowned as vocalists. Pre-eminent is the Skylark, Alauda 
arvensis L., a species which has been lately introduced into this 
country (Long Island, etc.). 
a. Spurious primary obsolete; a little tuft of lengthened black feathers over 
each ear (sometimes obscure in 9); tail not forked. . Orocorts, 458. 
458. OTOCORIS! Bonaparte. (Eremophila Boie.) (ods, ear; 
xopus, helmet.) 
873. O. alpestris (Forster). Snore Lark. Hornep LARK. 
Pinkish brown, thickly streaked; a crescent on breast and strip 
under eye black; white below; chin, throat, and line over eye 
more or less yellow; 9 with less black ; winter birds grayish, with 
the markings more obscure. L. 74. W. 44. T. 3. Northern 
Hemisphere, common. <A pleasant singer. liuns into many vari- 
eties, the prairie form (var. praticola Henshaw) averaging smaller, 
W. 4 to 44, ete. (Hu.) (Lat., alpine.) 
Famity CLXV. CORVIDAH. (THE Crows AnD Jays.) 
Primaries 10; first about half length of second; nostrils usually 
concealed by tufts of bristly feathers, which are branched to their 
tips. Bill long and strong, usually notched, its commissure not 
angulated. Tarsus sharp behind, its sides undivided and separated 
from the scutella in front by a groove, which is either naked or 
filled in with small scales. Voice usually harsh and unmusical. 
Birds of large size, the largest of the Oscines, found almost every- 
where. Genera about 40; species 175. 
a. Tail not shorter than the short, rounded wings. (Garruline.) 
6. Tail much longer than wing, graduated for half its length, its feathers 
narrowed to the tips; head not crested. . . . . ~ + PICA, 459. 
6b. Tail not much longer than wings, not graduated for half its length. 
c. Head with a conspicuous crest; (chiefly blue). . CyanociTra, 460. 
cc. Head without crest; plumage lax; (no blue). . PERISOREUS, 461. 
aa. Tail much shorter than the long, pointed wings. (Corvine.) 
d. Bill compressed, higher than broad; plumage glossy. 
Corvus, 462. 
459. PICA Cuvier. (Lat., magpie.) 
874. P. pica (L.). Magpre. Lustrous black ; belly, shoulders, 
and wing-edgings white. L.19. W. 8}. T.13. Northern regions. 
The American bird (var. hudsonica Sabine) is larger, with the 
feathers of throat spotted with white below the surface. Its range 
is chiefly N. W. in America, E. to Wis. (Eu.) 
1 Otocoris is used for Eremophila by the A. O. U., on account of the prior Eremophi- 
lus, a genus of fishes. 
