212 Birds of North Carolina 



197. Otocoris alpestris praticola (Hensh.). Phaiiue Horned Lark. 



Descriplion. — See under genus, .\verago me;vsnrcments of 9 males from Raleigh: L., ().90- 

 7.25; \V,, 4.00-4.2.T; T., 2.60-2.85. Average of 20 femnle.s from Raleigh: L., (i..lO-7.00; W., 

 3.7.5-4.15; T., 2.40-2.75. 



Range in United Slates. — Upper Mississippi Valley to New York in .summer; in winter more 

 or less reguUirly to the Carolinas. 



Range in North Carolina. — Same as the preceding. 



FU.. 107. PrAKIK HoR.NKll L.\RK. 



The Prairie Horned Lark has Iwen taken in this State, in company with the 

 preceding, at Raleigh in December, 1886, and January, 1887; aLso on February 20, 

 1895, and February 11, 1895. At Southern Pines a flock -was observed on Feb- 

 ruary 19 and 20, 1902, by C. H. Morrell (Auk. July, 1902, p. 289). Cairns called 

 it a rare winter visitor in Buncombe County. 



Horned Larks are found most commonly in Xurtli Carolina during very cold 

 winters. 



43. FAMILY CORVID>E. CROWS AND JAYS 



TIlis family includes an extensive and cosmopolitan group of liirds that agree in 

 having the feathers which cover the nostrils directed forward. 



They are divided into two gr()Ui)s: tlie Crows, which have the plumage mainly 

 or entirely })lack, are of comparatively large size, and have the wings much longer 

 than the tail; and the Jays, which have the plumage usually varied, often blue or 

 bluish, arc of medium size, and have the tail as long as or longer than the wings. 



From an economic standpoint, the Crows and Jays have rather bad reputations 

 as robbers of other birds' nests, to some extent sustained by facts. Their other 

 reputed bad habit, that of destroying newly planted or just sprouting grain, seems 

 to be abundantly offset by the great number of white grubs, wireworms, and cut- 

 worms which the^y destroy. 



KEY TO GENERA 



1. Plumage wholly bluek. Wings much longer than tail. Corcu-s. 

 1. I'lumagc mainly blue. Wings al:)OUl as long as tail. Cijanocilla. 





