348 LARKS 



bathe, and sing while on the wing. They are generally colored in 

 harmony with their haunts, and, except during the nesting season, are 

 usually found in flocks. 



473. Alauda arvensis Linn. SKYLARK. Hind toe-nail as long as or 

 longer than toe. Ads. Above brownish ochraceous streaked with black; 

 tail blackish, central feather margined with ochraceous buff; outer feathers 

 more or less white; below whitish more or less washed with ochraceous buff, 

 especially on breast, which is distinctly streaked with black. L., 7'50; W., 

 4'10; T., 2'60; B., '45. Bears a superficial resemblance to a Vesper Sparrow, 

 but, aside from structural differences, is larger and more buffy. 



Range. Europe and N. Africa; accidental in Greenland and Bermuda 

 and introduced into the U. S. 



The Skylark has been introduced several times in this country. In 

 1887 a small colony had become established near Flatbush, Long Island, 

 where a nest with young was found. (See Dutcher, Auk, V, 1888, p. 180.) 

 After a supposed extinction a singing bird and nest were observed in 

 July, 1895. (See Proctor, Auk, XII, 1895, p. 390.) According to Braislin 

 (Abst. Proc. Linn. Soc. 17, 1907, p. 76) the bird is still present at Flat- 

 bush where it may be heard singing from March to October. 



474. Otocoris alpestris alpestris* (Linn.}. HORNED LARK. (Fig. 

 60.) Ad. (?. Forehead, line over the eye, ear region, and throat sulphur- 

 yellow; fore part of crown, a tuft of elongated feathers on either side of 

 head, a mark from bill below eye and then downward to side of throat, and 

 a patch on breast black; back of head and neck and rump vinaceous, more 

 or less washed with grayish brown; back grayish brown, edged with brownish 

 ash and tinged with vinaceous; wing-coverts deep vinaceous; tail black, 

 outer vanes of outer feathers margined with white, middle feathers broadly 

 margined with brownish and vinaceous; lower breast and belly white, the 

 former more or less soiled with dusky spots; sides vinaceous. Ad. 9. 

 Similar, but the markings, especially those of the head, less sharply defined, 

 neck less vinaceous, etc. Im. and Ad. in winter. Similar, but with the 

 black markings veiled by yellowish or whitish tips to the feathers. L., 7*75; 

 "W/, 4-27; T., 2'84; B. from N., "40" (Dwight). 



Range. E. N. Am. Breeds in Arctic zone of Canada from Boothia 

 Peninsula s. to head of James Bay, Lab., and N. F. ; winters s. to the Ohio 

 Valley and Ga.; casual in La. and Bermuda; accidental in Greenland. 



Washington, common W. V., Oct.-Apl. Ossining, casual W. V. Cam- 

 bridge, not uncommon T. V., Oct. 25-Nov. 25; Mch. 25-Apl. 5; occasional 

 W. V. N. Ohio, common W. V., Nov. 1-Apl. 1. SE. Minn., W. V. 



Nest, of grasses, on the ground. Eggs, 3-4, pale, bluish or greenish white, 

 minutely and evenly speckled with pale grayish brown, '84 x '60. Date, 

 Hebron, Lab., May 30. 



These hardy birds visit us in flocks in the winter. They frequent 

 the vicinity of the seacoast or large, flat, open tracts in the interior, and 

 are rarely found in well-wooded regions. They are terrestrial, and may 

 be seen running over the snow or barren ground in scattered companies. 

 They take wing with a sharp, whistled note, and seek fresh fields, or, 

 hesitating, finally swing about and return to near the spot from which 

 they were flushed. They are sometimes found associated with Snow- 



*See important papers on the relationships and distribution of the American 

 representatives of this genus, by Dr. J. Dwight, Jr., in The Auk, VII, 1890, pp. 138- 

 158, and by H. C. Oberholser, Proc. U. S, N. M., XXIV, 1902, pp. 801-883. 



