1890.] Dwight on the Horned Larks. I AC 



interrupted distribution or consider the bird a dark arenicola, but 

 the fact remains that birds breed at Carson which cannot be dis- 

 tinguished from those that breed in New York State. A couple 

 of winter birds from the Mojave Desert might be referred to this 

 form, but are as pale as typical arenicola. 



Average measurements of 30 breeding males : wing, 103.6 mm. 

 (4.0S in.) ; tail, 72.6 mm. (2.86 in.) ; tarsus, 21. 1 mm. (.83 in.) ; bill from 

 nostril, 9.4 mm. (.37 in.). 



Specimens examined: $, 159; 5 , 72 ; young in first plumage, 30. 

 Localities represented : North Truro, Hyannis, and Revere, Mass. ; *Long 

 Island City, *Troy, *Alder Creek, *Syracuse, *Peterboro, *Geneva, and 

 *Lockport, N. Y.-; *Erie and Philadelphia, Pa.; Washington. D. C. ; 

 Arlington, Va. ; Raleigh and Weaverville, N. C. ; Circleville, O. ; In- 

 dianapolis, Ind. ; *Mt. Carmel, *Richland Co., Adams Co., Mason Co., 

 *Sugar Creek Prairie, *Waukegan, *Calumet, *Riverdale, *W. Northfield, 

 and *Evanston, 111. ; Ann Arbor and *Cadillac, Mich. ; Racine and 

 *Dane Co. , Wis. ; *Toronto. *PeeI Co.. and Rat Portage, Ontario; ""Car- 

 berry, Manitoba; *Pembina, N. Dak. ; Ft. Snelling, Tintah, and Zumbrota, 

 Minn. ; *Lake Mills and *Grinnell, la. ; London and Papillion, Neb. : 

 *Turkey Creek, *Leavenworth, *Topeka, Manhattan, and *Big Blue 

 River, Kan.; *Missouri ; Gainesville, Dallas, and Giddings, Tex. ; *Car- 

 son and *Franktown, Nev. 



4. Otocoris alpestris giraudi Hensh. Texan Horned 



Lark. 



Habitat. — Coast region of southern Texas. 



Small size and the peculiar light gray of the back distinguish this 

 form at all seasons. There is a yellowish green tinge above in 

 autumn, and at all seasons the yellow of the head is very deep, ex- 

 tending on the breast below the black crescent in a large majority 

 of the males. Without being pallid like arenicola, it is strikingly 

 pale, and does not resemble any other race so closely as leucolcema. 

 Its peculiarities of coloration, its size, and its isolated breeding 

 range, which seems to be several hundred miles from the nearest 

 forms (towards which it shows no variation), give it strong claims 

 for specific rank, but while material from the intermediate area is 

 lacking, such a course might be premature. 



Average measurements of 15 breeding males : wing, 97.3 mm. (3.83 

 in.) ; tail, 65.0 mm. (2.56 in.) ; tarsus. 21.6 mm. (.85 in.) ; bill from nos- 

 tril, 9.1 mm. (.36 in). 



