348 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERIOAJ^T BIRDS, 



are the same size, and, tliougli averaging a little darker, the nape approaching 

 brick red, some of them can be matched by the few specimens of strigata I have 

 for comparison." 



While it is quite true that this island race resembles the Streaked Horned 

 Larks from the northwest coast very closely, still the streaks on the back of the 

 latter, particularly on the lower back, are much darker and more sharply defined, 

 with lighter interspaces, and the wing is also shorter. The under parts, at least 

 on the breast, are pale buffy yellow in strigata, while in insularis they are always 

 white, without any yellow tinge. Climatic differences must also be considered, 

 and the greatest possible variation exists in the respective habitats of these two 

 races. While the Streaked Horned Lark inhabits regions of excessive rainfall, 

 the climate on the islands is exactly the reverse, being excessively dry and desert- 

 like, and, furthermore, this insular race is a resident and breeds on these islands, 

 and the breeding ranges of the two do not approach each other by several 

 hundred miles; for these reasons I do not consider them to be referable to 

 strigata, and they certainly can not be included among chrgsolcema, to which 

 Mr. H. W. Henshaw originally referred them. He found them very common 

 residents on Santa Cruz Island and breeding there. He says: "The nests were 

 but rude attempts, being nothing more than a small pile of dried grasses suf- 

 ficiently hollowed to admit of the reception of the eggs. One (No. 17295, 

 containing three eggs, taken on June 4, 1875, on Santa Cruz Island, California) 

 is deserving of notice as being placed within the cavity of an abalone shell, 

 one of a large heap lying half overgrown with herbage. The whole cavity of 

 the shell was filled by the material, and the eggs looked very pretty as they lay 

 contrasted with the shiny, pearly shells clustered about them." 



Mr. Henshaw, in speaking of the social habits of the Horned Lark, says: 

 "The immense flocks of these birds that gather together in the fall are well 

 known, but I was surprised to find to what extent this sociable feeling was 

 carried during the breeding season. Both on the mainland and on the island 

 they were seen all through June in scattered flocks of both sexes, though nearly 

 all, perhaps all, were at this time nesting. Both sexes incubate, and it appeared 

 to be the habit of the birds, when off duty, to repair together in small flocks, 

 and thus to wander in search of food. At this season they do not resort much 

 to the sandy beaches, but keep on the upland, where among the herbage they 

 find more easily and in greater abundance the insects and seeds which they 

 are fond of"'^ 



Dr. E. A. Mearns, United States Army, found this subspecies breeding on 

 San Clemente, the southernmost island off the coast of California, and sent 

 some fragments of eggs found on August 28, 1894, to the United States National 

 Museum collection. It has not yet been recorded from Santa Catalina Island, 

 but as I have received Horned Larks' eggs from this island, they probably are 

 also referable to this race. 



' U. S. Geological Surveys West of the lOOtli Meridiau, Appendix J J, Wheeler, 1876, p. 248. 



