382 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY. 



Lark of the Labrador coast, both eastern and southern, is the northern 

 race, Otocoris alpestris- alpestris, and that the difference observed in 

 the tint of the yellow in the plumage is due largely to fading, and to 

 some extent to wear as the bases of the yellow feathers are white. 

 The fading is least where the feathers are most shaded under the chin. 



We have measured ten worn feathers taken from the throats of our 

 July birds and ten unworn feathers taken as nearly as may be from 

 the same region of birds shot on the Massachusetts coast in October 

 and December. The average length of the first set is 5.95 mm., of 

 the second set 8.25 mm. showing a loss of 26 percent in the length of 

 the feathers by wear. 



It is evident that besides changing the color of the plumage of the 

 bird, a fact which is well known, wear must make a great difference 

 in the warmth of the plumage. The Horned Lark wears its thinnest 

 clothes during the time when its love passions are at their summit 

 and when the thermometer is highest. As its love cools and the days 

 begin to grow shorter and cooler it dons its thick winter clothes which 

 do not begin to show much wear until the days are growing warmer 

 and love begins to stir the blood with its old heat. 



Although part of the southern coast of Labrador is of a different 

 geological formation from the eastern coast it belongs in the same 

 life zone, namely, the Arctic, as shown by the same flora and by the 

 presence of the American Pipit as on the eastern coast. To the west 

 of Mingan the Hudsonian region as shown by the forest growth 

 reaches the coast, and the country beyond is not suitable for either of 

 these birds except possibly in limited areas. Thus Merriam (Bull. 

 Nuttall orn. club, vol. 7, 1882, p. 234) says of the Pipit at Point des 

 Mdnts, near Godbout on the Gulf of St. Lawrence (about 50 miles 

 southwest of the Labrador boundary): "Tolerably common summer 

 resident and doubtless breeds." Of the Horned Lark he says: "First 

 seen April 21, 1882, after which they were common for about three 

 weeks and then disappeared. I found a young one, dead, at Godbout 

 in July, 1881." With the exception of this record no larks have been 

 found breeding west of Mingan. Between Montreal and Quebec the 

 Prairie Horned Lark is found breeding, and as far as we can discover 

 this is the most eastern breeding place on the north side of the St. 

 Lawrence for this bird. 



Macoun says of the Prairie Horned Lark: "A common summer 

 resident in the Montreal district. They have been found breeding 



