80 ALLEN'S NATURALIST'S LIBRARY. 



of the tarsus, or planta tarsi, as it is called. The Larks have 

 also ten primaries, but the first one is so short that very often 

 only nine are apparent. 



THE HORNED LARKS. GENUS OTOCORYS. 

 Otocorys, Bp. Nuovi Ann. Sci. Nat., Bologna, ii., p. 407 (1838). 

 Type, O. alpestris (Linn.). 



In the birds of this genus the bill is short and stout like 

 that of the Sky-larks, but they are at once recognised by the 

 little tufts of black feathers, or hornlets, on each side of the 

 hinder crown. 



The Horned Larks are principally northern birds, occurring 

 throughout the greater part of North America, where there are 

 many kinds, one species also being found as far south as 

 Colombia, in South America. Besides the species which visits 

 England and which extends across Siberia, there are other 

 forms which inhabit the deserts from Algeria to Central Asia 

 and Mongolia, and more than one form of Horned Lark is 

 found in the higher ranges of the Himalayas. 



THE SHORE-LARK. OTOCORYS ALPESTRIS. 



Alauda alpestris, Linn., S. N., i., p. 289 (1766); Macg., Br. B., 

 ii., p. 159 (1839); Seeb., Br. B., ii., p. 284 (1884). 



Otocorys alpestris, Newt. ed. Yarr., i., p. 604 (1874); Dresser, 

 B. Eur., iv., p. 387, pi. 243 (1874) ; B. O. U. List Br. B., 

 p. 73 (1883); Saunders, Man., p. 249 (1889); Sharpe, 

 Cat. B. Brit. Mus., xiii., p. 541 (1890) ; Lilford, Col. Fig. 

 Br. B., pt. xvi. (1890). 



Adult Male. Above ashy, with a tinge of vinous, the centre 

 tail-feathers ashy, with black centres; the rest of the tail- 

 feathers black, the outer one edged with white, the median and 

 lesser wing-coverts vinous ; remainder of wing-coverts and 

 quills dusky brown, externally ashy with whitish margins, the 

 inner coverts and secondaries browner ; hinder crown and hind- 

 neck pure vinous ; forehead and eyebrow yellow or yellowish- 

 white ; across the crown a broad band of black, continued into 

 the hornlet on each side of the hinder crown ; throat pale sul- 

 phur-yellow ; nasal plumes, lores, and fore part of ear-coverts 



