102 



waved with dusky; tail shorter than wings; the belly, wings and tail are strongly 

 barred. It is a shy wren, a sweet singer, and is oftener heard than seen. 



CISTOTHORUS. Cabonis. Marsh Wrens. 



23. C. STELLARIS. Cabonis. Short-billed Marsh IVye/i. Dark brown ; head 

 and back darker; entire upper parts with white streaks; L. 4^. Summer resident 

 in suitable places. Probably regarded as rare because of their shy ways and inac- 

 cessible habitat. 



24. C. PALUSTRIS. (Wilson) Baird. Long-Billed Marsh Wren. Bill slender, 

 as long as head; a white superciliary line; general color clear brown, with a black 

 patch containing white streaks; crown blackish; rump brown; L. 5. Observed 

 by Mr. Langdon near Cincinnati in spring. The nests are found in the reedy 

 swamps about the Kankakee river marshes in great numbers. They are placed in 

 the midst of tall rushes, or clumps of wild rice, and are firmly attached about 

 two feet above the surface to several surrounding stalks. " While the female is 

 incubating, the male is constantly employed upon the constructiofi of several un- 

 finished nests, until often a pair may boast the possession of a dozen unoccupied 

 tenements." {Nelson.) 



FAMILY YIII.— ALAUDID.E. 



{The Larks.) 



Tarsus scutellate in front and behind (a character singular among oscine birds). 

 Bill short ; nostrils hidden by tufts of feathers. First primary short or wanting. 

 Hind claw very long and nearly straight. Inner secondaries elongated. A group 

 of one hundred species, mostly Old World birds, among them the famous European 

 sky- lark. 



EREMOPHILA. Boie. Horned Larks. 



25. E. ALPESTRIS. Boie. Shore Lark. Pinkish brown, thickly streaked ; 

 a little tuft of black feathers, like the "horns " of owls, over each ear; a crescent 

 on breast and strip under eye black ; white below ; chin, throat, and line over eye 

 more or less yellow ; female with less black ; winter birds grayish, markings more 

 obscure; L. 1% ; W. 4;^ ; T. 3. 



There are two varieties of this species in the northern part of the State. Variety 

 leucoloema, is permanently resident, bringing forth fully fledged young in May ; the 

 male takes care of these, and the female resumes her work on a second set of eggs. 

 When the second brood can follow, the double family wanders at its will through 

 fall and winter, until the breeding season, when they disband. This variety is the 

 larger, and has no yellow on the head, except a slight throat tinge ; the black 

 markings are smaller than in iyTpicdl alpestris ; this latter arrives in October with the 

 Lapland longspurs, and in April goes back with them to its northern breeding 

 grounds. 



In the winter of 1878-9, the horned larks appeared in flocks of two hundred or 

 more, with the great snow of January ; they were accompanied with a few snow 

 birds (P. nivalis.) I have found the young in early May ; they frequent open fields 

 and roads. The horned lark is a pleasant singer, and is far from being either shy 

 or timid. 



