156 



474a. Otocoris alpestris leucolaema (Coues). [300a.] Pallid Homed Lark; 

 White-throated Horned Lark. 



Breeds in the interior of British North America and Alaska, coming 

 south in winter to Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and westward. (Known 

 locally as Wheatear and Wheat Bird, and confounded by many with the 

 Wheatear of Europe.) 



474 b. Otocoris alpestris praticola Hensli. [ — .] Prairie Homed Lark. 



This subspecies and the following occur in the Mississippi Valley, 

 where the present is the prevailing form east of the Plains, breeding- 

 abundantly in the northern half and south, at least as far as Kansas 

 and Illinois, and wintering from latitude 43° southward even to Texas. 

 It is abundant in eastern Kansas (Goss) and breeds in Manitoba. 



474 c. Otocoris alpestris arenicola Heinsh. [ — .] Desert Homed Lark. 



Inhabits the Rocky Mountain region and the Great Basin, coming 

 east to Dakota, where it breeds at least as far east as Devil's Lake. It 

 is a common resident in middle and western Kansas (Goss). In winter 

 it is abundant in Concho and Tom Green Counties, Tex., arriving late 

 in October and departing early in March (Lloyd). 



474 d. Otocoris alpestris giraudi Hensh. [ — .] Texan Homed Lark. 

 Inhabits eastern and southeastern Texas. 



Note. — Owing to the want of exact knowledge concerning the breed- 

 ing and winter ranges of the various subspecies of Horned Larks it is 

 impossible at present to give their distribution more fully than has 

 been done above. 



Either the typical 0. alpestris or variety praticola (probably the 

 former) usually reaches northern Minnesota before the second week 

 in February, though the mercury sometimes falls to forty degrees 

 below zero afterwards. The northern limit of the winter range of the 

 species, taken collectively, varies from latitude 42° to 44°, but a few 

 individuals usually can be found along latitude 43° even in the cold- 

 est winters. In the winter of 1883-'S4 they were unusually scarce in 

 the north, and on March 1 but few had been seen north of latitude 43°. 

 During the next two weeks they advanced to latitude 45°, and March 

 23 they were noticed at Two Rivers, Manitoba, latitude 49° 28'. 



In the fall of 1884 the first migrant appeared at San Angelo, Tex., 

 September 23, where it had become common by November 3. 



In the spring of 1883 Horned Larks appeared at New Cassel, Wis., 

 January 28 ; at River Falls, Wis., February 2 ; Lake City, Minn., and 

 Elk River, Minn., February 26. Three individuals were seen at Moor- 

 head, Minn., after a short spell of south wind, February 12. They 

 were there continuously after that date. The first came to Larimore, 

 Dak., March 18, and Oak Point, Manitoba, March 28. 



In the fall of 1885 the first returning Lark came to Bonham, Tex., 

 November 4, and they were common there by November 10. They 

 appeared at Gainesville, Tex., November 2. 



