396 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



plumage, were taken as early as June 13, 1906. The birds of this 

 region are intermediate between this form and Otocoris alpestris 

 enthymia Oberholser. We .collected quite a series of horned larks 

 most of which, particularly those collected on the prairies in the 

 eastern portion of the region we visited, were nearer enthymia, 

 while those collected on the alkaline, sage-brush plains of western 

 Saskatchewan and in Alberta were more typical of leucolcema. This 

 new form described by Mr. Oberholser in 1902 and first noted by 

 Dr. Bishop in North Dakota in 1895, seems to be well marked and 

 worthy of recognition, as the bird of the northern prairie region. 

 But as it has not yet been formally accepted I must list our birds 

 as bteucolcema. {A. C. Bent.) 



Should this form be recognized as a good one many of the refer- 

 ences given elsewhere in this Catalogue must be transferred here. 



4746. Prairie Horned Lark, 



Otocoris alpestris praticola Hensh. 1884. 



In summer, southern Canada from Manitoba to the north shore of 

 the gulf of St. Lawrence. Breeding birds have been examined from 

 Chateau bay, Labrador; Gatineau Point, Quebec; Ottawa, Kingston, 

 Toronto, Lome Park, Peel county, Bracebridge, Windsor, Kenora 

 and Rat Portage, Ontario; Carberry, Boggy creek and Big Plain, 

 Manitoba. {Oberholser.) 



This bird is a miniature leucolcema, somewhat darker and with a 

 pale yellow chin which is seldom bright, and is often white. Autumn 

 birds seem to show more linear spots on the breast than do the other 

 forms, but this is not a constant feature. It seems to have gradually 

 extended its range eastward as the woods have disappeared, and we 

 can see why it should be nearer to leucolcema than to alpestris. How- 

 ever, as we go westward, we find a direct gradation into arenicola 

 and this race passes directly into leucolcema. Now leucolcema passes 

 into alpestris, and somewhere in the Saskatchewan or Winnipeg 

 regions we shall find, I venture to say, breeding birds that might 

 be referred to any one of these four forms. Breeding birds have 

 been examined from Toronto, Peel county and Rat Portage, Ontario ; 

 Carberry, Manitoba. {Dwight.) 



