PRAIRIE HORNED LARK. 271 



wing coverts, light vinaceous terminally, brownish-gray basally ; wings (except 

 as described), grayish-brown, the feathers with paler edges, outer primaries 

 with outer web chiefly white ; middle pair of tail feathers light brown (paler on 

 dges), the general portion (longitudinally) much darker, approaching dusky ; 

 remaining tail feathers uniform black, the outer pair with exterior webs 

 broadly edged with white ; longer upper tail coverts, light brown, edged with 

 whitish and marked with a broad lanceolate streak of dusky ; forehead (for 

 about .15 of an inch) yellowish-white, this continued back in a broad super- 

 ciliary stripe of nearly pure white; fore part of crown (for about .35 of an inch) 

 deep black, continued laterally back to and including the ear-like tufts ; lores, 

 suborbital region, and broad patch on cheeks (with convex posterior outline) 

 deep black, jugular crescent, also deep black, this extending to lower part of 

 throat ; chin and' throat, pale straw yellow, gradually fading into white on 

 sides of fore-neck ; anterior half of ear coverts white, posterior half drab-gray, 

 each portion forming a crescent-shaped patch ; lower parts posterior to the 

 jugulum crescent pure white, the sides of the breast light vinaceous, the sides 

 similar but brown and indistinctly streaked with darker ; upper mandible, 

 plumbeous black ; lower, bluish-plumbeous ; iris, deep brown ; legs and feet, 

 brownish-black. Size, slightly less than the preceding. 



HAB. Upper Mississippi Valley and the region of the Great Lakes. 



Nest, a hollow in the ground, lined with grass, horse hair and feathers. 



Eggs, four or five, dull olive, marked with spots and speckles of drab. 



So far as I can remember, this species first appeared in Ontario 

 about the year 1868. It was noticed at once as different from our 

 winter visitor, being less in size and its plumage having the washed- 

 out look peculiar to the prairie birds. Since that time it has 

 increased annually, until it has become quite established. I think 

 they do not all leave in the fall, but that a few remain over the 

 winter. Great numbers appear in February or early in March, and 

 should the season be late, they swarm in the road tracks and bare 

 places everywhere, waiting for the disappearing of the snow, and 

 even before it is quite gone many pairs commence building their 

 nests. Soon the flocks separate, the birds scatter in pairs over the 

 country, and are not again seen in such numbers until the following 

 season. This species is very common in Manitoba, where they raise 

 their young in suitable places all over the country. 



Besides the original alpestris there are now seven different sub- 

 species of the Genus Otocoris, described as being found in North 

 America. They all have a strong family likeness, but differ suffi- 

 ciently, in the eyes of the Committee, to warrant distinction, though 

 several of the groups are of very recent formation. They are found 

 mostly in the west and south-west, only one of the varieties having, 

 till now, been observed in Ontario. 



