368 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



the open prairie. It is a slight affair, — merely a shallow depres- 

 sion in the ground, lined with a few dried grass stems. The eggs 

 are four or five in number, measuring nearly an inch in length by 

 about three-fifths in breadth ; they are very variable in contour. 

 The colour is well adapted to concealment in the gray-brown nest, ' 

 being nearly the colour of the withered materials upon which 

 they rest, thickly and uniformly dotted with light brown. The 

 eggs and young birds, like those of other small species nesting 

 on the ground in this region, often become the prey of the foxes, 

 badgers and weasels, if not also of the gophers. (Coues.) Num- 

 bers of nests were obtained and examined in a wagon trip of 500 

 miles in 1895 and all were of the same character. The nest was 

 always a small hole in the ground lined with dried grass and con- 

 tained from two to four eggs. The latter seemed to be the usual 

 number. (M^^oun.) 



MUSEUM SPECIMENS. 



Nine; three taken at Indian Head, Assa.; four at Medicine Hat, 

 Assa., and two near Wood Mountain, Assa., by Mr. Spreadborough. 



One set of four eggs taken near Frenchman's River, Assa., June 

 22nd, 1895, by Prof. Macoun. 



4V4^. Streaked Horned Lark. 



Otocoris alpestris strigata Hensh. 1884. 



British Columbia (?) {Dwight.) West of Coast Range; at 

 Port Simpson, by W. B.Anderson ; also at Burrard Inlet. {Fannin) 

 Spring and autumn migrant through the valley of the lower 

 Fraser ; breeds on mountain tops above timber line. {Brooks.) 



41 ii. Dusky Horned Lark. 



Otocoris alpestris merrilli Dwight. 1890. 



Specimens of this form in breeding plumage have been examined 

 from Ashcroft and Kamloops, B.C. ; non-breeding from Chilli- 

 wack. {Dwight) Observed only in the interior at favourable local- 

 ities. A few pairs were found on a mountain near Ashcroft, B.C., 

 in July and were doubtless breeding. {Streator.) This form was 

 found breeding at Spence's Bridge and ten miles south of Kam- 

 loops, B.C., by some alkali ponds in June, 1889, one specimen, a 

 young male, was taken June 24th at Kamloops, B.C. {Spread- 

 borough.) Taken at Chilliwack, B.C. {Brooks.) 



