THE TEXAN HORNED LARK. 34] 



All tlie eggs in the United States National Musemn collection excepting a 

 single set were taken in the third week in Mav, evidently second broods, and 

 a nest, with three young birds about a couple of days old, was found on April 

 li), 1892, indicating that the breeding season commences probably about the 

 latter part of March and lasts through April and May. The usual iiundjer of 

 eggs laid to a set appears to be three or four, and these resemlde very closely 

 those of the other subspecies already described, both in shape and coloration. 

 Two specimens show a couple of dark-colored hair lines about their larger ends, 

 resembling those found on our Orioles. 



The average measurement of fourteen specimens in the United States 

 National Museum collection is 21.90 by 15.54 millimetres, or about 0..S6 by 0.(11 

 inch. The largest egg measures 23.62 by 1(1 millimetres, or 0.93 by 0.G3 inch; 

 the smallest, 20.83 by 14.99 miUimetres, or 0.82 by 0.59 inch. 



The type specimen. No. 25159 (PL 5, Fig. 27), from a set of four eggs, 

 was taken and donated to the collection by Mr. H. P. Attwater, near Rockport, 

 Ai-ansas County, Texas, on May 19, 1892, and represents one of the lighter 

 styles of coloration found among" these eggs. 



130. Otocoris alpestris chrysolaema (Wagler). 



MEXICAN HORNED LARK. 



Alauda chrysolwma Waglek, Isis, 1831, 530. 



Otocoris alpestris chrysohvma Stejneger, Proceedings U. S. National JTusenm, V, 1S82, ;j4. 



(B — , 53rt, R 300?/, C 84, U 47-ie.) 



Geographical range: Table-lands of Mexico, from Vera Cruz iiortliward. including 

 the higher plateau regions of iiovtheru Lower California, as well as the coast districts west 

 of the Coast Range in California, north to about latitude 39°. 



The breeding range of the Mexican Horned Lark, while cj[uite an extensive 

 one, is still very imperfectly defined, there being but little material on hand 

 from Mexico, and this only from about the extreme southern limits of its rano-e 

 where it is known to breed. Nothing is known regarding its distribution through- 

 out central Mexico, while in Lower California it appears to be confined, during 

 the breeding season at least, to the more northern parts of the peninsula. ^ 



Mr. A. W. Anthony writes me: '' Otocork alpestris chri/soIcBma nests on the 

 San Pedro Martir Mountains at altitudes of nbout 8,500 feet, Avhile on both the 

 eastern and western slopes it is replaced during the breeding season by Otocoris 

 alpestris paUida, a strikingly different race." It is also reported as breeding at 

 San Quentin, near the coast. It is not uncommon throughout the coast districts 

 of southern Califoiniia, and apparently reaches the northern limits of its range 

 here in Sonoma County, about latitude 39°. 



' Since this was written the II. S. Department of Agricnltnre has obtained quite an extensive series 

 of skins from the States of Piiobla, Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, and Chihuahua, Mexico, taken at diU'ereut 

 seasons, which seem to Ix^ all referable to this race, anil indicate that the Mexican Horned Lark is pretty 

 generally distributed in suitable localities thron;;hont the greater part of the Jlexican Republic. 



