8o 
ALLEN’S NATURALIST’S LIBRARY. 
of the tarsus, ox plant a tarsi, as it is called. The Larks have 
also ten primaries, but the first one is so short that very often 
only nine are apparent. 
THE HORNED LARKS. GENUS OTOCORYS. 
Otocorys, Bp. Nuovi Ann. Sci. Nat., Bologna, ii., p. 407 (1838). 
Type, O. alpestris (Linn.). 
In the birds of this genus the bill is short and stout like 
that of the Sky-larks, but they are at once recognised by the 
little tufts of black feathers, or hornlets, on each side of the 
hinder crown. 
The Horned Larks are principally northern birds, occurring 
throughout the greater part of North America, where there are 
many kinds, one species also being found as far south as 
Colombia, in South America. Besides the species which visits 
England and which extends across Siberia, there are other 
forms which inhabit the deserts from Algeria to Central Asia 
and Mongolia, and more than one form of Horned Lark is 
found in the higher ranges of the Himalayas. 
THE SHORE-LARK. OTOCORYS ALPESTRIS. 
Alauda alpestris, Linn., S. N., i., p. 289 (1766); Macg., Br. B. 
ii., p. 159 (1839) ; Seeb., Br. B., ii., p. 284 (1884). 
Otocorys alpestris. Newt. ed. Yarr., i., p. 604 (1874) ; Dresser 
B. Eur., iv., p. 387, pi. 243 (1874) ; B. O. U. List Br. B.’ 
P- 73 (i 88 3); Saunders, Man., p. 249 (1889); Sharpe, 
Cat. B. Brit. Mus., xiii., p. 541 (1890) ; Lilford, Col. Fig. 
Br. B., pt. xvi. (1890). 
Adult Male. — Above ashy, with a tinge of vinous, the centre 
tail-feathers ashy, with black centres; the rest of the tail- 
feathers black, the outer one edged with white, the median and 
lesser wing-coverts vinous; remainder of wing-coverts and 
quills dusky brown, externally ashy with whitish margins, the 
inner coverts and secondaries browner ; hinder crown and hind- 
neck pure vinous ; forehead and eyebrow yellow or yellowish- 
white ; across the crown a broad band of black, continued into 
the hornlet on each side of the hinder crown ; throat pale sul- 
phur-yellow ; nasal plumes, lores, and fore part of ear-coverts 
