258 NOTES ON THE 
Family ALAU DID_E. 
OTOCORIS ALPESTRIS PRATICOLA HensHaw. (4746. ) 
PRAIRIE HORNED LARK. 
This bird is variously called the Prairie Lark, Shore Lark, 
Sky Lark, and Horned Lark. Its characteristic locality would 
scarcely justify the name of Shore Lark, as it is decidedly a 
dry land bird. Hither of the others would not be inappro- 
priate. But the two pencils of erectile feathers so located on 
the head as to completely simulate horns, are so distinguishing 
as to justly entitle it to the name Horned Lark. This species 
is extensively distributed over the entire open sections of the 
Northwest, from Hudson’s Bay to and below the southern line 
of Missouri, and from New York to California. 
Variations in size and the intensity of coloration have led 
some ornithologists to the institution of several varieties. I 
have met with individual representations of the whole series 
within my province so many times that I have no use for these 
varieties, even cum salis. p 
It nests very early, in the latitude of Minneapolis and St. 
Paul. In favorable seasons I have met with nests as early as 
the 9th of March, as I once flushed it from its nest at that date, 
although it contained no eggs; buta week later I have met with 
several with, on an average, two eggs. They sit so close at 
such times that I have had my carriage wheel pass within ten 
inches of the nest and not flush the bird. On one occasion, on 
the open, rolling prairie, while walking cautiously in search 
of possible nests, I had placed my foot directly over one, in 
the act of putting it down, when the lark flitted out from under 
it just in time to save itself, and the nest too, as the surprise 
lengthened the falling step far enough to save the latter. In 
all instances I have found that the ground had been hollowed 
out for the nest to a depth sufficient to allow of a liberal lining 
of grass and still leave the back of the brooding bird level with 
the surrounding surface. Its colors, with this circumstance, 
combine to protect the bird with its precious trust from the 
rapacious hawks as well as the more rapacious odligist. That 
this species breeds occasionally three times Iam confident. 
The period of incubation reaches far into July occasionally. 
Some individuals are to be seen at almost any time in the 
winter, during an open ‘‘spell of weather.” which is not a com- 
mon meteorologica] event, by the way, and the great winter 
