BIRDS OF KA .Vs. 1 S 435 



circled by black), and a small patch in the nape, white. Entire under parts, and 

 extending round neck to nape (where it bounds abruptly the black of head), buff 

 or light cinnamon yellow; the under tail coverts paler; the inside of wings 

 white. Feathers of upper surface black, edges with yellowish gray; shoulders 

 of lesser coverts and the greater black; middle white, forming a conspicuous 

 patch. Quills edged externally with white, this involving the whole outer web 

 of outermost primary. Whole of outer and most of second tail feather white. 

 Female: The markings of male faintly indicated, but the black and buff want- 

 ing. Head above brown, streaked centrally with paler. A narrow dark line 

 on each side of the throat, and brownish streaks across the jugulum and along 

 sides of body. Traces visible of the white marks of the head." 



Stretch of 

 Length. wing; Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 6.50 11.30 3.65 2.60 .82 .43 



Female... 6.20 10.90 3.50 2.50 .80 .42 



Iris dark brown; bill upper and tip of lower dusky, rest pale 

 reddish yellow; legs yellowish brown to flesh color; feet darker; 

 claws blackish. 



These birds inhabit the prairies and open, barren lands, breed- 

 ing through the northern central portion of British America to 

 the Arctic coast, migrating southward in winter, and often as- 

 sociating with other Longspurs and the Horned Larks. Their 

 favorite resorts are along old trails and abandoned wagon roads 

 upon the prairies, where the grass is short. In their search for 

 food they fly near the ground, in an easy, wavy, circling manner, 

 constantly chirruping as they go, dropping down here and there 

 and running swiftly about. Busy bodies, that have to labor hard 

 and long, in order to pick up enough of the tiny seeds upon 

 which they feed to satisfy their wants. 



The following is from "North American Land Birds:" 



"These birds were observed in large numbers at Fort Ander- 

 son, and on the Lower Anderson Kiver, by Mr. MacFarlane, 

 and a large number of their nests obtained. These were all on 

 the ground, and usually in open spaces, but also in the vicinity 

 of trees. The usual number of eggs found in a nest appears to 

 have been four. The nests, for the most part, were constructed 

 of fine, dry grasses, carefully arranged, and lined with down, 

 feathers, or finer materials similar to those of the outer portions. 

 In a few there were no feathers, in others, feathers in different 

 proportions, and in a few the down and feathers composed the 



