ALAUDIBjE — CALANDRITIN^ : SHORE LARKS. 
281 
Alaudid(B,he\ong to an entirely difFerent family, the Motacillidce ; while the American field- 
larh is one of the Icteridce, much further removed. 
According to shape of bill, structure of nostrils, and apparent number of primaries, the 
family may be divided into two subfamilies, the Alaudinee, typified by the celebrated sky-lark 
of Europe, and the Calandritincs, of which the well-known horned lark is a typical representa- 
tive. Both of these occur in North America ; 
the Alauda, however, only as a straggler from 
Europe. 
Calandritin^, without evident spurious 1st primary, 
the primaries apparently only 9. 
A.LAUDiNiE , with spurious 1st primary, the primaries 
therefore evidently 10. 
M. Subfamily CALANDRITIN>E : 
Shore Larks. 
Represented in America by the single genus 
Ere7)iophila, of which there are nominally ten, 
really four or five species, one of which occurs 
in North America. 
Fig. 153. — Shore Lark, much reduced. (From Ten- 
ney, after Baird.) 
ERE3IO'PHILA. (Gr. ep^fios, eremos, a desert ; (f)i\e<o, loMleo, I love.) Horned Larks. 
Primaries apparently only 9 (no obvious spurious 1st primary). Point of the wing formed 
by the first 3 developed primaries. Inner secondaries elongated. Tail of medium length, 
nearly even, the middle pair of feathers difterent in shape and color from the rest. Bill com- 
pressed-conoid, acute, shorter than head. Nostrils completely concealed by dense tufts of 
antrorse feathers. Head not crested, but a peculiar tuft of feathers over each ear, somewhat 
like the so-called "horns" of some owls. Feet of ordinary alaudine characters, as already 
given. Coloration peculiar in the presence of yellowish tints and strong black bars on the 
head and breast. The birds of this genus frequent open places, are strictly terrestrial in habits, 
and never hop when on the ground, like most Passer es ; they are migratory in most localities, 
and gregarious, except when breeding ; nest on the ground, and lay 4-5 speckled eggs ; sing 
sweetly in the spring time. 
E. alpes'tris. (Lat. alpestris, alpine. Figs. 153, 154.) Horned or Shore Lark. $ 9 , 
adult, in breeding plumage : Upper parts in general pinkish -brown, this pinkish or vinaceous 
or liliaceous tint brightest on the nape, lesser wing- 
coverts, and tail-coverts, the rest of the upper parts 
being duller and more grayish-brown, boldly variegated 
with dark brown streaks; middle pair of tail-feathers 
and several of the inner secondaries rufous-brown, with 
darker centres. Under parts, from the breast backward, 
white ; the sides strongly washed with the color of the 
upper parts, and mottling of same across the lower part 
of the breast. A large, distinct, shield-shaped black 
area on the breast. Tail-feathers, except the middle 
pair, black, the outermost edged with whitish. Wing- 
quills, except the innermost, plain fuscous, the outer 
web of the 1st primary whitish. Lesser wing-coverts 
usually tipped with grayish-white. Top of head like ^'^ 
nape; bar across front of vertex, thence extended along sides of croA^Ti, and produced into a 
tuft or " horn, " black ; front and line over eye, also somewhat produced to form part of the 
tuft, white or yellowish ; a broad bar from nostrils along the lores, thence curving below the 
eye and widening as it descends in front of the auriculars, black ; rest of the sides of the head 
154. — Shore Lark, nat. size. 
