144 NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Var. chrysolaema. 



Alauda chrysoloema, Wagl. Isis, 1831, 350. — Bonap. P. Z. S. 1837, 111. Otocorys ch. 



FiNSCH, Abh. Nat. 1870, 341. Alauda minor, Giraud, 16 Sp. Tex. B. 1841. Alauda 



rufa, AiTD. Birds Am. VII, 1843, 353, pi. ccccxcvii. Otocoris r., Heerm. X. s, 45. 



J Otocorys licrcgriiia, ScL. P. Z. S. 1855, 110, pi. cii. Eremophila p., ScL. Cat. Am. B. 



-I860, 127. 



Char. Adult. Frontal crescent less than half as wide as the black. Throat and fore- 

 head deep straw-yellow ; pinkish tints above deep cinnamon. 



a. Specimens from California and Mexico, streaks on back, etc., very obsolete; darker 

 central stripe to middle tail-feathers scarcely observable ; white beneath. 



bill, .53 — .15 — .42. 

 " .63 — .13 — .50. 

 " ..56 — .14 — .45. 

 " .62 — .16 — .32. 



Measurements. (3,507, $, Tonila, Mexico,) wing, 3 80; tail, 2.75 



(9,115, (J, Mexico,) ""4.IO; " 2.90 



" (3,939, ^, California,) " 3.85 ; " 2.75 



(58,582, (J, Gt. Salt Lake City,)" 4.10; " 2.80 



6. Specimens from coast of Oregon and Washington Territory. Streaks on back, etc., 



very conspicuous; dark central stripe of tail-feathers distinct; yellow beneath. 



Measurements. (8,734 $, Fort Steilacoom,) wing, 3.75 ; tail, 2.60 ; bill, .61 — .15 — .40. 

 Hab. Middle America, from the desert regions of the southern Middle Province of 

 North America, south to Bogota. 



Habits. Assuming the Shore Lark of the Labrador coast and the rufous 

 Lark of the Western prairies to be one and the same species, but slightly 

 modified by differences of locality, climate, or food, we have for this species, 

 at all times, a wide range, and, during the breeding-season, a very unusual 

 peculiarity, — their abundant distribution througli two widely distant and 

 essentially different regions. 



During a large portion of the year, or from October to April, these birds 

 may be found in all parts of the United States. Dr. Woodliouse found them 

 very common throughout Texas, the Indian Territory, New ]\Texico, and Cal- 

 ifornia. Mr. Dresser states that he found the western variety — whicli he 

 thinks essentially different in several respects from the eastern — in great 

 numbers, from October to the end of March, in the prairies around San 

 Antonio. Afterwards, at Galveston, in INIay and June, 18G4, he noticed and 

 shot several specimens. Although he did not succeed in finding any nests, 

 he was very sure that they were breeding there. It is common, during win- 

 ter, on the Atlantic coast, from Massachusetts to South Carolina. In ]\Iaine 

 it is comparatively rare. In Arizona, Dr. Coues speaks of the western form 

 as a permanent resident in all situations adapted to its wants. The same 

 writer, who also had an opportunity of observing the eastern variety in 

 Labrador, where he found it very abundant on all the moss-covered islands 

 around the coast, could notice nothing in tlieir voice, flight, or general man- 

 ners, different from their usual habits in their southern migrations, except 

 that during the breeding-season they do not associate in flocks. 



Eichardson states that this Lark arrives in the fur countries in company 

 with the Lapland Bunting, with which it associates, and, being a shyer bird, 

 would act as sentinel and give the alarm on the approach of danger. As Mr. 



