148 Dice, Birds of Southeastern Washington. LApril 



THE BIRDS OF WALLA WALLA AND COLUMBIA 

 COUNTIES, SOUTHEASTERN WASHINGTON. 



BY LEE RAYMOND DICE. 



(Continued from p. 51.) 



Otocoris alpestris arcticola. Pallid Horned Lark.— S. H. Lyman 

 reports a specimen of this form taken near Walla Walla during the first 

 part of March a few years ago. 



Otocoris alpestris merrilli. Dusky Horned Lark.— The most 

 abundant bird of the bunch-grass habitat throughout southeastern Wash- 

 ington. In early June, 1914, numbers of adults and nearly grown young 

 were seen on the bunch-grass hills near Wallula and Nine-mile. They were 

 especially numerous on wind swept ridges. In the grain fields and bunch- 

 grass areas of eastern Walla Walla County they are abundant throughout 

 the year. Although they often come very near timber in the valleys, they 

 are never found among trees. 



On April 10, 1905, a young Horned Lark, just able to fly, was seen in the 

 hills near Prescott. On April 18 a nest containing a full set of three eggs 

 was found. On April 12, 1906, a nest with three partly feathered birds 

 was seen. This nest was deserted on the 22nd. On March 27, 1908, one 

 nest of three eggs and another with two eggs were found in a stubble-field. 

 All of these nests were composed of dried grasses and weed leaves, and the 

 rim of the nest was flush with the level of the ground. Each nest was in 

 such a position that it was partially concealed by a clump of stubble or of 

 weeds. On April 7,' 1908, a young bird fully feathered and able to fly 

 was seen. 



Horned Larks often follow the plows and other farm implements to pick 

 up the insects, larvae, and seeds which are exposed when the ground is 

 stirred up. The Horned Lark is one of the few birds that the advance of 

 agriculture has not reduced in number. Most of the other prairie birds 

 find difficulty in rearing broods, because the spring plowing practiced in 

 the region destroys the nests, but many young of the Horned Lark are 

 able to fly before plowing is well under way. 



Pica pica hudsonia. Magpie. — A few were seen in early June, 1914 

 in the willows along the Walla Walla River east of Wallula, and some were 

 observed in the sage-brush about a half-mile from the river. In the prairie 

 area of Walla Walla and Columbia counties they are abundant in the timber 

 along the streams throughout the year. They also wander long distances 

 out into the bunch-grass hills. 



Cyanocitta stelleri annectens. Black-headed Jay. — Reported in 

 winter at Walla Walla (Bendire, 1895, 370). Abundant near Prescott 

 some winters, but they do not appear every year. In late July, 1914, a 



