1890.] DwiGHT on the Homed Larks. '49 



It may seem questionable to describe a race that is intermediate 

 in characters and habitat between others already known, but, as 1 

 have said before, several of the existing races grade into two or 

 three others, and if we admit them we must also recognize others 

 quite as well marked. Aclusta, I venture to say, is as conspicuous 

 as any, and shows the extreme effect of sun and desert in paling and 

 reddening a bird that otherwise would be a small arenicola. 



It extends but a short distance north of our Mexican boundary, 

 and is found in winter at Chihuahua, but from lack of material 

 we can only surmise that it will be found in the desert plateau 

 region of Mexico south of our border line, passing into true chry- 

 solcema in the fertile valleys to the south. The most character- 

 istic birds come from Camp Huachuca, Arizona, in the spring, 

 but 1 have others from Ft. Yuma, the Santa Rita Mountains, 

 and Ft. Verde, that are nearer to this form than to arenicola. 

 Western Texas birds seem to be larger and much like Great Salt 

 Lake specimens, but all birds from desert regions in Nevada, 

 Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and western Texas, are paler and 

 redder-tinged than those that are found in the mountains, so that 

 the length of wing and intensity of yellow on the chin must also 

 be factors in determining whether they should be referred to this 

 race or to arenicola. 



Average measurements of 20 breeding males: wing, 102.9 mm. (4.05 

 in.); tail, 71.4 mm. (2.81 in.); tarsus, 20.8 mm. (.82 in.); bill from 

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



Specimens examined: $, 51; $,30; young in first plumage, 11. 

 Localities represented: Chihuahua, Mexico; *Camp Huachuca, *Santa 

 Rita Mts., *Ft. Verde, *San Francisco Mt., *Oracle, *Willow Spring, 

 ♦Sulphur Spring, and *Rio Perro, Ariz.; *Ft. Wingate, Zufii, *Santa 

 Fe\* Albuquerque, and *L,one Mt., N. M. ; and *Ft. Davis, *Pecos City, 

 Laredo, and Giddings, Tex. 



7. Otocoris alpestris chrysolsema {Wag-l.). Mexican 



Horned Lark. 



Habitat. — Mexico, northward along the coast of California to 

 about Lat. ^8°. 



In this race the contrast between the color of the nape and that 

 of the back is sharp even in autumn, and typically it is a pink cin- 

 namon-rufous contrasting with a sepia-brown back. Autumn 

 specimens are darker, often quite yellowish, and the yellow of the 

 throat is a variable quantity, usually bright. The white below is 



