° 1916 J MousLEY, Breeding of the Prairie Horned Lark. 281 



generically separated is a difficult question to decide. Agreeing, 

 as it does, in most essential characters with Mclanitta, I believe 

 that it is best considered congeneric with the latter so long as 

 Erionetta is included in Somaferia and Marila is used in a broad 

 sense. 



Of the genera of Sea Ducks recognized in the A. O. U. 'Check- 

 List,' perhaps the most doubt has been attached to Charitonetta 

 which is not separated from Clangula by British authors. Mac- 

 Gillivray, however, states (t. c.) that in the Bufflehead the trachea 

 has " scarcely any appearance of dilatation at the part which is so 

 excessively enlarged in the Golden-eyed Duck, which in form and 

 habits is yet very closely allied." 



THE BREEDING OF THE PRAIRIE HORNED LARK AT 

 HATLEY, STANSTEAD COUNTY, QUEBEC. 



BY H. MOUSLEY. 



The Prairie Horned Lark belongs to one of those progressive 

 families of birds, which by their pushing character have so adapted 

 themselves to their natural surroundings as to have increased their 

 breeding range of late years from the central part of the continent 

 even to eastern Massachusetts in 1903, at least this is the generally 

 recognized opinion, I believe, amongst most authorities, although 

 there are others again who contend that the bird has always 

 occurred in small numbers throughout the northeastern states, 

 but that it has passed unnoticed until recent years, when the in- 

 crease of field collectors has drawn attention to its presence. How- 

 ever this may be, there are other traits in its life history which maik 

 it out as a bird of distinction, the finding of whose nest and eggs is 

 always looked upon by the field student as a pleasurable event. 

 It was only during the spring of the past year, 1915, that I suc- 

 ceeded in finding it breeding at Hatley, although I had been on the 



