s«me Birds of Lewis Co, N, Y ( 
0. Hart Merriam 
At my request, Mr. A. Jeniugs Dayan, one of our most careful, 
enthusiastic, and conscientious collectors, sends me the following 
notes concerning a few species found in the middle (Alleghanian) dis- 
trict of the county. When not otherwise stated, his observations 
pertain to the town of Lyon’s Falls, in the Black River Valley. 
“ Eremophila alpestris. Horned Lark. — A tolerably common spring 
migrant ; a few breed. Dr. C. P. K.irley of Lowville [middle district] 
has kindly given me this note on its breeding : ‘I first observed Eremo- 
phila alpestris July 16, 1876, when I shot one two-thirds grown, and saw 
the parents. In the same locality, June 24, 1876, I noticed a pair of old 
birds, and on searching for their nest, I found it not more than eighteen 
inches from the main road. It contained three unfledged young. Since 
then I have both seen and taken it during the breeding season.’ 
Regard- 
Dr. Coues, in his inexhaustible “ Birds of the 
Northwest ” (p. 39), says : “ East of the region above specified [from 
Iowa and Minnesota westward] the Horned Lark is not known to 
breed in the United States; and the only record of its occurrence 
in summer which I have seen, that given by Mr. Maynard, as 
above [Massachusetts in July], most probably indicates a highly ex- 
ceptional instance.” Since the publication of the above (1874) it 
has. been ascertained that the bird in question breeds, sparingly, in 
the western and central portions of the State. In the last number 
of this Bulletin (p. 40) Mr. John M. Howey calls attention to the 
fact of its breeding in the vicinity of Canandaigua, in Western New 
York, but states that he does not “ know of a previous instance of 
this bird’s nesting in this State,” thus overlooking Mr. Rathbun’s 
record in his “ Complete List of the Birds of Cayuga, Seneca, and 
Wayne Counties,” which appeared in the “Auburn Daily Advertiser ” 
of August 14, 1877. Mr. Rathbun states that it is “ resident and 
tolerably common in winter,” and that “ a few breed,” in Central 
New York. Mr. Dayan’s note (on the authority of Dr. C. P. Kirley) 
is particularly interesting, as it extends the known breeding range 
of the species, within the United States, eastward to the western 
border of the Adirondack Wilderness, beyond which it must pass 
to the northward (through St. Lawrence County) into Canada, and 
thence to Labrador. Whether it has for many years bred within 
the limits of the State of New York, or has recently extended its 
breeding range, as seems to be the case with the Lark Finch 
( Chondestes qrammaca) and some other species, remains to be de- 
cided ; I incline to the latter view. It breeds about Hamilton, Can- 
ada West (Mcllwraith), and abundantly along the Labrador Coast 
(Audubon and Coues). 
Bull. N, O.O. 3, April, 1878. p. 53 
since a new race made its appearance, smaller in size, the 
the colours paler, and having altogether a bleached, washed-out 
look about them when compared with the others. Ihese have 
remained permanently, and, increasing from year to year, have 
now become our most common winter resident in the country. 
They breed very early by the road sides and in the low commons 
everywhere, and at this season of the year are seen either run- 
ning in the road-tracks or sitting in rows of fifteen or twenty 
along the fences waiting till you pass that they may return to 
their regular feeding ground. 
Bull. NYO.C, S.Jtrly. 1883, p. / ^ 6 ~. 
¥0 
