ig8 THE HORNED EARK. 



bark form the bulk of the nest. The structure does not often embrace the 

 sustaining brances, but the ends of its component strips are made fast to the 

 rough bark of the saphng; besides this, frequent guy ropes and stays of gos- 

 samer are thrown out. A snug lining of roller grass and horse-hair completes 

 the home, which measures commonly one and seven-eighths inches across 

 and one and a half deep, inside. Two broods are sometimes raised in a 

 season. 



No. 89. 

 HORNED LARK. 



A. O. U. No. 474. Otocoris alpestris (Linn.). 



Synonym. — Shore Eark. (This name is perpetuated solely through an 

 accident of discovery, the type specimen having been described by Catesby 

 from "the Seashore of Carolina."). 



Description. — Adult male in breeding plumage : Upper parts warm brown 

 or fuscous, clearest on wings and tail, feathers everywhere heavily edged with 

 rufous ; middle of crown, occiput, nape, sides of neck, bend of wing, arid upper 

 tail-coverts, pinkish cinnamon; fore-crown, cheeks and jugular crescentic patch 

 black ; forehead, superciliary stripe, auriculars and throat primrose yellow ; 

 belly and crissum white; sides and flanks brownish. Adult female: Similar to 

 male, but duller and paler, the black especially being obscured by brownish or 

 buffy tips. Winter plumage of both sexes distinguished by somewhat heavier 

 and more uniform coloring, save on -black areas, which are overcast by huffy 

 tips; fore breast dusky or obscurely spotted. Eength about 7.75 (196.9) ; av. of 

 four Columbus males: wing 4.26 (108.2) ; tail 2.87 (72.9) ; bill .48 (12.2) ; tarsus 

 .84 (21.3). 



Recognition Marks. — Sparrow to Chewink size ; black throat and head 

 patches; feather tufts or "horns" directed backward. To be distinguished from 

 0. a. praticola by its larger size, and from O. a hoyti by the fact that both throat 

 and superciliary line are yellow. 



Nesting. — ^Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, a cup-shaped depression in the 

 surface of the ground, plentifully lined with fine grasses, moss, grouse feathers, 

 elc. Bggs, 3 or 4, greenish- or grayish-white, profusely and minutely dotted 

 with oHve-buff, greenish brown and lavender. A typical set from Labrador, as 

 described by Major Bendire, measures .96 x .66 (24.9 x 16.8) ; .95 x .68 (24.1 

 X 17.3) ; .87 X .64 (22.1 X 16.3). 



General Range. — Northeastern British America west to Hudson Bay and 

 south to Newfoundland, Labrador, etc. ; accidental in Greenland ; in winter west 

 to Manitoba and south to Ilhnois, Ohio, the Carolinas, etc. 



Range in Ohio. — Common winter resident, especially in the northern part. 

 Moves about in flocks in conjunction with 0. a. hoyti and 0. a. praticola. 



