0T0C0EY8. 511 



1. Otocorys chrysolaBina. 



Alauda chrysolama, Wagl. Isis, 1831^ p. 530 '. 



Otocorys chrysolcema, Scl. P. Z. S. 1856, p. 306"; 1859, p. 372'. 



Otocoris chrgaoleema, Finsch, Abh. nat. Ver. zu Bremen, 1870, p. 341 *. 



Eremophila chrysoleema, Scl. P. Z. S. 1864, p. 174 '. 



EremopMla alpestris, var. chrysolcema, Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. B. ii. p. 144 '. 



Otocoris alpestris, var. chrysolama, Lawr. Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. ii. p. 278''; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. 



no. 4, p. 22'. 

 Otocoris alpestris chrysolcema, Hensh. Auk, i. p. 260 °. 

 Alauda cornuta, Sw. Phil. Mag. new ser. i. p. 434 ^°. 

 Phileremos cornutus, Bp. P. Z. S. 1837, p. 111". 

 Eremophila cornuta, Duges, La Nat. i. p. 140". 

 Alauda gracilis, Licht. Preis-Verz. mex. Vog. no. 59, p. 2; J. f. Om. 1863, p. 56". 



Supra sordide fusoa, plumis singulis medialiter obscurioribus ; vertice postioo, nucha et cervice postioa cum 

 uropygio stricte rosaceo-cinnamomeis ; vertice antico, loris, genis et pectore nigerrimis ; fronte, supereiliis, 

 regione parotica et gula flavis ; corpore reliquo subtus albo ; alis fuscis, pallida fusco limbatis, tectricibus 

 minoribus rosaceo-cinnamomeis ; cauda nigricante, rectricibus utrinque externis in pogonio externo albidis, 

 rectrioibus duabus intermediis fuscescentibus ; rostro nigro, mandibula infra ad basin albicante ; pedibus 

 obscure ooryUnis. Long, tota 6*0, alee 4*0, caudse 2-8, rosfcri a rictu 0-6, tarsi 0-7. (Descr. exempl. ex 

 Mexico. Mns. nostr.) 



Av. jwv. capite nee nigro nee flavo ornato, vertice omnino fusco striate. 



Hoi. North America, New Mexico, Arizona ] ^. — Mexico ^ ^o " {Beppe ^^, Salle ^), 

 Mazatlan {Grayson ^'^), Guanajuato (Bug^s^^), Tonila ^, valley of Mexico (JVhite^) 

 Tacubaya (le Strange), Oaxaca {Boucard ^), San Mateo [Sumichrasb ^). 



The North- American Shore-Lark [Otocorys alpestris) has recently^ been carefully 

 examined by Mr. W. H. Henshaw, and divided into no less than nine races or sub- 

 species, of which the Mexican bird is one, and this he calls Otocorys alpestris chryso- 

 Imma, with the following definition: — "Length of wing 3-98, tail 2-91, bill 0-83, 

 tarsus 0-46. Much deeper in colour than arenicolor [i. e. the bird of the Great Basin 

 of the United States and Rocky Mountains). Nape &c. deep pinkish rufous ; throat 

 deep yellow, but breast always white. — Habitat : Mexico, possibly across the border 

 into Southern Arizona and New Mexico." 



' Without attempting to examine the whole question of the variation of these birds, 

 for which we have not nearly sufficient materials, we can hardly be wrong in using 

 Wagler's name chrysolcema for the Mexican bird. Whether it is really definitely sepa- 

 rable from those found on the frontier States must remain an open question so far as 

 we are concerned ; but we may remark that the small size, as compared with Northern 

 birds, the bright yellow of the throat, and the clear pinkish colour of the nape and 

 hind neck, seem to distinguish the race of the Mexican highlands. 



Otocorys peregrina of the highlands of Colombia, though separated by Mr. Sclater, 

 has often been considered to be identical with 0. chrysolcema, but we think we can 

 trace sufficient differences to justify its being kept separate. Comparing adult males 



