696 



APPENDIX. 



FAMILY ALAUDIDAE. LARKS. 



Tarsus, not sharpened behind, but covered with two series of scales, which meet on the inside, whore 

 there is a groove, ( See Fig. 119, a.) Hind claws lengthened, ( ib b.) Nostrils, usually concealed by a tuft 

 of feathers. 



GENUS. OTOCORIS. HORNED LARKS. 

 Primaries, nine, with the first three about equal in length. Head pointed with elongated tufts of feath- 

 ers on sides of the crown. 



OTOCORIS ALPESTRIS. 

 Horned Lark. 

 DESCRIPTION. 

 Size, medium. Form robust. Color. Adult. Above and on sides, pinkish brown, brightest on nape 

 and rump, streaked with dark brown. Wings and tail, brown, edged with pinkish and tipped with white. 



Forehead, line over the eye, sides of head and throat, sulphury 

 yellow. Crescent on crown, Une from base of bill to ear coverts 

 and broad shield on breast, black. Remainder of under parts, 

 white. Iris, bill and feet, brown. In winter and young. Simi- 

 lar, but the colors are obscured and the breast is frequently 

 tinged, more or less, with dusky. Easily distinguished by the 

 yellowish and black markings, and tuft on head. Dimensions: 

 Length, 7S>'>: stretch, lo.oD ; wing, 4.31; tail, 2.00; bill, .50 ; 

 tarsus, .:jO. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 Nests, placed on the ground, composed of grass and moss. Eggs , 

 four or five in number, oval in form, ashy in color, thickly spot- 

 ted with yellowish brown and bluish. Dimensions, from .Go by 

 .82 to .70 by .85. 



HABITS. 

 The Horned Larks ure ver}' coiniiion along our 

 coast in November, reniaining all winter, but depart 

 northward to their breeding grounds north of New England. These birds are highly gre- 

 garious and often accompany the Snow Bnntings and Longspnrs. They are not shy, but 

 iiave the habit of squatting behind stones or tufts of grass when they perceive an intruder ; 

 then, if approached, will rise with a loud, shrill cry. 



OTOCORIS ALPESTRIS PRATICOLA. 



Prairie Horned Lark. 



DESCRIPTION- 



Sub Sp. Cn. Smaller than 0. alpestris, duller colored and with less yellow on the head. That is. the 

 forehead and line over the eye is soiled white, an I the yellow of the thi-oat is either quite wanting or is very 

 pale and often confined to to the chin. Occurs when breeding south and west of the Great Lake, eastward 

 to Western Massachusetts and to Vermont and New Hampshire. Visits the coast of Southern New Eng- 

 land in spring and autumn. 



GENUS PICA. MAGPIES. 



Tail rather longer than the head and body, with the feathers graduated. First primary sword-like, 

 curved, and narrowed. A patch of naked skin around and behind the eye. 



Fig. 1 IIJ. Head of adult Horned 

 Lark ; A, inside of tarsus, B, hind 

 toe of same. 



