History 15 
it had not been known to breed. He further claims that Audu- 
bon, in 1833, discovered the equivalent of the Prairie Horned 
Lark at Bras d’Or, Labrador, and figured it (“Birds of Amer- 
ica” II, plate CC.), describing it as the nuptual plumage * of 
the Horned Lark in Volume 2, Ornithological Biography 
(1834), p. 575). Moreover, Norton goes on to say that the 
Prairie Horned Lark was rediscovered by the Bowdoin Col- 
lege Expedition in Labrador in 1891 (Proc. Portland Soe. Nat. 
Hist., II, p. 153). And, again, that Maynard’s “Naturalist’s 
Guide” (p. 121), published in 1870, cites a reeord of this sub- 
species for July, 1869, in eastern Massachusetts (see also above 
under Massachusetts). All of which, in Norton’s opinion, 
“shows conclusively that it has not suddenly extended its range 
eastwardly.” 
Another competent ornithologist, Barrows (1912), believes 
this “eastward movement” invalid. He says (p. 409): “It is 
conceivable that the species has always occurred in small num- 
bers throughout the northeastern states, but that it has passed 
unnoticed until recent years, when the increase in the number 
of collectors and the more general publication of field notes 
have called attention to its presence.” 
In my opinion, however, there is no question as to the valid- 
ity of this extension of range. Opportunity has not been 
presented, as yet, to look up Audubon’s illustration to which 
Norton (see above) calls attention, but O. a. praticola was elim- 
inated as a bird of Labrador in Townsend’s and Allen’s ‘‘Birds 
of Labrador’’ (Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., V. 33, No. 7, pp. 277-428, 
July, 1907). Furthermore, the following points seem to estab- 
lish the probability of this extension of range beyond a question: 
(1) The general removal of forests throughout all the 
northeast has made available, within the last seventy-five 
years, vast areas of sterile ground admirably suited to 
the uses of the Lark. One has but to climb the hills of 
south central New York, view their rock-strewn, barren 
summits, from the soil of which nearly all virtue has long 
ago leached out, to become forcibly convinced of this 
Robert Ridgway as late as 1881 pear aeres bint gm Leg vg 
* Even Mr. 
ef praticola, which. in Illinois, to be a 
“much f la, which Be — nora ncn Fa 
