18 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis 
so early.” These birds were taken April 24, 1878. Everman 
(1889) says of Otocoris alpestris praticola, “up to 1879, very 
rare; since then becoming more common every year, until it 
is now a common resident, most abundant, however, in winter 
and early spring.” Butler (1879) quotes Mrs. Hines as re- 
porting the Prairie Horned Lark on the increase in DeKalb 
County. He further notes that none was seen in Franklin 
County later than February until 1886, where a definite breed- 
ing record was secured in 1891. Further, he quotes Evermann 
as saying it was rare in Carroll County up to 1879, but that 
it was a common resident there in 1886. He lists the bird as 
breeding as far south as Bloomington, Spearsville, Greens- 
burg, Richmond, Brookville and Bicknell. 
Michigan. Henshaw (1884) had specimens in breeding 
plumage from this state, as did Dwight in 1890 (Cadillac, 
Mich.). Cooke (1893) gives a record of a February nest at 
Plymouth. Wood and Frothingham (1903) record O. a. prati- 
cola as breeding on the plains of Ascoda County (northern 
Michigan), and Barrows (1912) mentions records of nests in 
Otsego County in 1902; in Ingham County in 1904; Port 
Huron, Jackson County, 1889; in Grand Rapids, 1896; and 
southeastern Michigan, 1895. To presume that the Lark en- 
tered Ontario from Michigan also carries the presumption 
that it bred first in Michigan. Since Michigan was, at one 
time, extensively wooded, the present general distribution in 
the state must have followed the cutting of the timber. This 
timber-cutting should, for the sake of the hypothesis, have 
occurred some time prior to 1873, the date of the appearance 
of the Prairie Horned Lark in Ontario. However that may 
be, it is more probable that Michigan provided entrance to 
Ontario than Indiana or Ohio. 
Illinois. It is probable that the prairies of Illinois consti- 
tuted an early home of the Prairie Horned Lark and from 
here the bird spread north and east. Ridgway (1878) says of 
Eremophila alpestris, Horned Lark: “Abundant in suitable 
localities.” Henshaw (1884) and Dwight (1890) had breeding 
birds from this state. Dwight lists Mt. Carmel, Richland 
County, Adams County, Mason County, Sugar Creek Prairie, 
Waukegan, Calumet, Riverdale, W. Northfield and Evanston as 
the locations of his breeding specimens. Poling (1889) calls 
