Auk, XIV, Oct., 1897, 
THE HORNED LARKS OF MAINE. 
BY O. W. KNIGHT. 
Until the present year, 1897, Otocons a/pestris had been the 
only variety of Horned Lark which had been recorded from Maine, 
but in view of the fact that O. a. praticola had been reported 
specimens at North Bridgton, Cumberland County, by J. C. Mead. 
Some time previously Mr. Mead had written me that he had been 
looking for Horned Larks in his locality for nearly twenty-five 
years, but so far his search had been in vain. In March he again 
wrote that on the 13th he had observed a flock of about twenty- 
five individuals running along in the road near his residence, and 
had secured four specimens which from the lack of yellow mark- 
ings he was inclined to refer to praticola. These were later sent 
to Mr. Norton and their identification verified. When I learned 
these particulars, I resolved to secure the loan of specimens of 
the genus Otocoris from various collectors in the State with the 
hopes of discovering more specimens of praticola among them. 
Sixteen specimens were obtained from seven different sources, 
and eight of these proved representatives of the subspecies in 
question, all but one being perfectly typical. Three of these, 
including the least typical one, were sent to Mr. Brewster in order 
to be absolutely certain of their identity. 
The Maine specimens of praticola , known to exist in collections 
are as follows: four taken at North Bridgton, March 13, 1897, 
by J. C. Mead. Two of these are males and one a female by 
dissection, while the fourth is a male by proportions and markings. 
A pair in the collection of the University of Maine were taken 
at Bucksport, Hancock County, in the winter of 1886 or 1887 by 
Alvan G. Dorr. A male taken at Bangor, Penobscot County, 
March 30, 1887, by Harry Merrill, and at present in his collec- 
tion, is the earliest Maine specimen whose exact date of capture is 
known. C. H. Morrell of Pittsfield, Somerset County, has in his 
collection three specimens taken near his home ; these are a male 
taken March 29, 1892, a male taken March 27, 1893, and a female 
taken March 22, 1894. The ovaries of this last-mentioned speci- 
men were distended to the size of number five shot. A specimen 
which is seemingly a male was taken at Waterville, Kennebec 
