348 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



young: Above mixed dusky and light brownish (in variable relative quantity), 

 conspicuously speckled or dotted with white or pale buffy ; wing-coverts conspicu- 

 ously margined with pale dull buffy ; lower parts whitish, the chest more or less 

 tinged with pale brownish buff and speckled or clouded with dusky ; no distinct 

 head " pattern." Nest composed of fine dried grass-stems, etc., embedded in ground, 

 under shelter of tussock of grass, a stone, etc. Eggs 3-5, pale olive, pale dull 

 buffy, dull olive-whitish, etc., finely but usually densely speckled or sprinkled with 

 olive-brown (rarely, pale cinnamon-buff, speckled with cinnamon-rusty). 



a 1 . Wing of male averaging more than 4.40, that of female averaging 4.12, or more. 

 b l . Darker, the hind-neck, rump, etc., deeper vinaceous-cinnamon, the throat 

 and superciliary stripe usually deep primrose-yellow. Young with sooty 

 blackish prevailing on upper parts, the chest and sides distinctly tinged 

 with brownish buff and speckled or mottled with dusky. Male : Length 

 about 7.50-8.00, wing 4.20-4.60 (4.41), tail 2.70-3.10 (2.98). Female: 

 Wing 3.95-4.55 (4.19), tail 2.50-3.10 (2.78). Bab. Northeastern North 

 America (region about Hudson's Bay, including Labrador), Greenland, 

 and northern Europe ; in winter, south to the Carolinas, Illinois, etc. 



474. O. alpestris (Linn.), Horned Lark. 

 b 1 . Paler, the hind-neck, rump, etc., lighter, more ashy, or lilaceous, vinaceous, 

 the throat usually white or but faintly yellowish, the superciliary stripe 

 pure white. ( Young unknown.) Male : Length about 7.50-8.00, wing 

 4.30-4.65 (4.43), tail 2.85-3.20 (3.10). Female: Wing 4.00-4.20 (4.12), 

 tail 2.60-2.80 (2.73). Eggs .91 X -65. Hab. Northwestern North 

 America, breeding from Alaska southward, east of Eocky Mountains, 

 nearly to United States boundary ; in winter, south over more northern 

 Great Plains and Great Basin of United States, as far as Kansas, Utah, 

 and Nevada. 



474a. O. alpestris leucolaema (Coues). Pallid Horned Lark. 

 a 2 . Wing averaging less than 4.20 in males, less than 4.00 in females. 



b 1 . Wing averaging more than 4.10 in males, more than 3.80 in females. 



c l . Dark-colored, as in O. alpestris (but rather paler), with young very dark, 

 as in that form. Male: Length about 7.00-7.50, wing 4.00-4.30 

 (4.13), tail 2.90-3.10 (2.99). Female: Length 6.75-6.85, wing 3.70- 

 4.00 (3.84), tail 2.60-2.90 (2.73). Eggs .85 X -62. Hab. Upper Mis- 

 sissippi Valley and region of the Great Lakes (especially within 

 United States), east, locally, to New York ; south, in winter, to 

 Virginia and northeastern Texas. 



4746. O. alpestris praticola (Hensh.). Prairie Horned Lark. 

 c". Paler colored, like O. leucolmma, but with throat usually distinctly (some- 

 times strongly) primrose-yellow. Young verj' pale-colored, with 

 prevailing color of upper parts light grayish buff, or pale buffy gray- 

 ish. Male: Length 7.00-7.50, wing 4.05-4.30 (4.16), tail 2.75-3.15 

 (2.99). Female : Length about 6.50-6.75, wing 3.70-4.00 (3.84), tail 

 2.50-2.80 (2.68). Eggs .86 X .60. Sab. Great Plains and Eocky 



