256 . NESTS AND EGGS OF 



collection was taken April 13, 1886, in La Salle county, Texas. The 

 nest was a hollow in the ground, lined with a few dry weeds. The 

 eggs are of an olive-buff, densely speckled with drab, and with a 

 wreath of the same color at the larger end. They measure : .86 x .60, 

 .89X.60, .86X.59. The eggs are elongate-ovate in form. 



474^. Otocoris alpestris clirysolsema (Wagl.) [3oo<5.] 



Mexican Homed Lark. 



Hab. Southern portions of Arizona and New Mexico, westward across Southern California; south 

 into Mexico. 



This form of the Horned Lark is a constant resident of Mexico, 

 and it occurs northward to Southern Arizona and New Mexico, etc. 

 No information is at hand regarding its nesting and eggs, which prob- 

 ably differ but little from those of others of the family. 



474/. Otocoris alpestris rubea Hensh. 



Ruddy Horned Lark. 



Hab. California. 



A 'sorrel' or rufous-colored race, abundant in California. Mr. 

 Shields informs me that this bird may always be seen in greater or less 

 abundance on the broad plains and prairies of Los Angeles county, Cal- 

 ifornia. He found their nests, containing fresh eggs, as early as April 

 15 and as late as the middle of June. The eggs were three or four in 

 number, commonly four, and sometimes five. One nest was found 

 containing six eggs. The nest is usually placed in a depression of the 

 ground under a small bush, tuft of grass, vines, by the side of a clod 

 of earth, small rock, etc. It is composed of fine straw and grasses lined 

 with horse hairs. Mr. W. O. Emerson's collection contains a series 

 of this Lark's eggs, collected in San Diego county, California, and 

 in comparing them with a large number of those from the East, South 

 and Middle States there is really no perceptible difference in their gen- 

 eral shape, color and markings. 



My cabinet contains thirty eggs of the Ruddy Horned Lark, taken 

 in various parts of California. Their color is a pale olive-buff, finely 

 and densely sprinkled with a rusty-drab color. Tt n specimens meas- 

 ure : .82X.54, .84X.53, .83X.56, .83X.51, .82X.57, .8ox. 56, .84X.56, 

 .80X.59, .83X.56, .80X. 56. 



474^. Otocoris alpestris strigata Hensh. 



Streaked Horned Lark. 



Hab. Coast region of Oregon, Washington Territory and British Columbia; south in winter to por- 

 tions of California and Nevada. 



This conspicuously streaked and striped Shore Lark is larger than 

 the California bird, O. a. riibea^ and is found breeding from Oregon 

 northward. To Dr. James C. Merrill, U. S. A., belongs the honor of 

 having first collected the eggs of this bird. Near Fort Klamath, Ore- 



