THE ALASKA HORNED LARK. 213 



ward and pniduccd intn a fcatlier-tiift or "horn." black; a broad l)ar from nostril 

 to eye thence curvins,' downward and expanding to involve hinder portion of 

 checks and auriculars anteriorly, black : a crescentic patch across upper chest 

 black : forehead and superciliaries pale yellow ( primrose yellow I paling poste- 

 riorly : auriculars yellow continuous with and deepening into straw yellow of 

 chin, throat and malar region; remaining underparts white, the sides and flanks 

 dull vinaceous streaked with dusky; upperparts in general warm grayish brown, 

 the middle of crown, occiput, nape, lesser wing-coverts and up])er tail-coverts 

 vinaceous-cinnamon ; back, scapulars and rump grayish brown, each feather edged 

 with paler and having dusky center; wings hair-brown with paler edgings, the 

 outermost primary edged with white ; tail chiefly black, the luiddle pair of 

 feathers dusky, edged with whitish, the two lateral pairs edged with white. 

 Rill black lightening below ( basally ) ; legs and feet black; iris dark brown, 

 Adult female in suininer: Like male but duller and paler, the black areas 

 reduced in extent and obscured by brownish or huffy tips; yellow of superciliary 

 stripe, etc., duller and paler; upi)er])arts more noticeably streaked and with less 

 of vinaceous tint on hind neck and uj)per tail-coverts. Both sexes in fall and 

 zvintcr are somewhat more heavily and more uniformly colored save on black 

 areas which are overcast by buf¥y or brownish tips ; also forebreast dusky or 

 obscurely spotted. Yonng birds are heavily speckled above with yellowish white 

 on brownish and dusky ground. Length of adult male: 7.00-7.50 (177-190); 

 wing 4.37 ( in) ; tail 2.83 (72) ; bill .48 (12.2) ; tarsus .94 (24). .-Xdult female: 

 6.75-7.25 ( 171-184) ; wing 4.09 (104); tail 2.48 (63); bill .43 (ii.i): tarsus 

 .91' (23.2). I 



Description. — .Idiilts: Similar to 0. alpeslris but u]5perparts iialer and 

 grayer, less warmed by vinaceous; no yellow (or merest tinge on head and 

 throat) — white instead; size about the same. 



Recognition Marks. — Si)arrow size ; black crescent on upper chest ; black 

 cheek and crown patches; feather-tufts or "horns" directed backward. I'o be 

 distinguished from (). a. nierrilli and O. a. strit/ata by larger size and absence 

 of yellow. 



Nesting. — Not certainly known to breed in Washington but possibly docs so 

 above timber-line. Nest: a cup-shaped depression in the surface of the ground, 

 plentifully lined with fine grasses, moss, grouse feathers, etc. Eggs: 3 or 4, 

 greenish- or grayish-white, profusely and minutely dotted with olive-buff, 

 greenish-brown and lavender. Av. size .95 x .66 (27x16.7). 



General Range. — "Breeding in .Maska (excei)t Pacific coast district) and 

 valley of the I'lJiJcr \'ukon River, Northwest Territory; migrating southward 

 to Oregon, I'tah, Montana, etc." (Ridgway). 



Range in Washington. — Common winter resident and luigrant east of the 

 Cascades, lairds breeding on the higher mountains are doubtfully referable 

 to this form. 



Authorities. — 0. a. leucolccma (Coues), Dawson, .\uk, XI^^ 1897, 176. 

 D^J. 



Specimens. — Prov. 



THE Horned Lark bears the reputation of being tiie most plastic of 

 American species — the Song Sparrow (Mclospica mclodia) being a close sec- 



