BIEDS AliAUDIDAE EKEMOPHILA CORNUTA . 



403 



Comparative measurements of species. 



EEEMOPHILA OOENUTA, Boie. 

 Sky Lark ; Shore Iiark. 



Eastern and Northern variety, 



Jllauda cornuta, "Wilson, Am. Orn. I, 1808, 85, (in text.) — Rich. P. Bor. Am. II. — Maxim. Reise Nord. Am. J, 

 1839, 367. 



Eremophila cornuta, Boie, Isis, 1828, 333. 



Phileremos cornutus, Bonap. List, 1838. 



Otocoris cornutus, of authors. 



Mauda alpestns, FoRSTKK, Phil. Trans. LXII, 1772, 383.— Wilson, Am. Orn. I, 1808, 85 ; pi. v, f. 4.— Bon. Obs. 

 1825, No. 130.— NoTTALL, Man. I, 1832, 455.— Aud. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 570; V. 448 ; pi. 2U0.— 

 Ib. Syn. 1839, 97.— Is. Birds Amer. Ill, 1841, 44 ; pi. 151.— Jardine, Br. Birds, II, 329, (Am. sp.) 



Western and Southern variety. 



Jllauda chrysolaema, "Wagler, Isis, 1831, 350.— Bp. Pr. Zool. Soo. 1837, 111. 



Mauda minor, Giraud, 16 sp. Texas Birds, 1841. 



Mauda rufa. Add. Birds Amer. VII, 1843, 353 ; pi. 497. 



Otocoris occidentalis, M'Call, Pr. A. N. S. Phil. V, June 1851, 218, Santa Fe.— Eaird, Stansbury 's Report, 1852, 318. 



Sp. Ch. — Above pinkish brown, the feathers of the back streaked with dusky. A broad band across the crown, extending 

 backwards along the lateral tufts ; a crescentie patch from the bill below the eye and along the side of the head ; a jugular 

 crescent, and the tail feathers, black ; the innermost of the latter like the back. A frontal band extending backwards over the 

 eye, and under parts, with outer edge of wings and tail white. Chin and throat yellow. 



Length of Pennsylvania specimens, 7.75; wing, 4.50; tail, 3.25 ; bill above, .52. 



Var. chrysolaema, smaller and lighter colored. 



Hab. — Everywhere on the prairies and desert plains of North America. Atlantic States in winter. 



Second quill longest ; first and tliird a little shorter. Above pinkish Lrown, brightest on 

 the back of the neck, the wing coverts, and rump ; a brownish tinge on the interscapular region, 

 eacli feather obscurely dusky centrally. There is a black band from the nostrils, to and beneath 

 the eye, curving down towards the throat a short distance behind the eye. A broad band of 

 black across the forehead extending backwards over the tufts alongside the' vertex. A short, 

 broad jugular collar ; the rest of the under parts white^ with a brownish tinge behind the black 

 of the breast ; the sides, especially along the thighs and breast, like the back. A frontal band, 

 superciliary stripe from the bill, and throat anterior to the pectoral collar, yellow in winter. 

 Tail black, the outer feather edged with white, the innermost colored like the back and resem- 

 bling an elongated upper tail covert. Wing quills brown, darker at the tips, the outer edged 

 with white. 



In summer the yellow tints disappear in great measure, leaving a white frontal band succeeded 



