CLk. x/v, <sl». /»?/,//. 37/-y. 
Prairie Horned Larks Nesting in Maine. — In his ‘ List of the Birds 
of Maine, ’ page S2, Mr. Knight says respecting the occurrence of Oto- 
coris alpestris praticola : “It is a regular migrant in many parts of the 
State, and it is not improbable that it may ultimately be found breeding 
within our State. ” Its first record of occurrence in the State was made 
by Mr. James Carroll Meade of North Bridgton (cf Maine Sportsman, 
April, 1897, p. 6). 
The members of the Maine Ornithological Society then naturally looked 
more carefully to their identifications of Otocoris, with the result, as 
stated by Mr. Knight in his list, as mentioned above. 
In, the January, 1900, number of the ‘Journal of the Maine Ornithologi- 
cal Society,’ page 2, Mr. Arthur H. Norton, of Westbrook, mentions see- 
ing two specimens of Otocoris in Andover, Oxford Co., Maine, which he 
believed undoubtedly were of the Prairie variety, but he was not able to 
make sure, as they took wing before he could train his glass on them. 
After this note our members were on the lookout for a definite record 
of its nesting in the State. The writer had the pleasure of making this 
record, for on June 26, while driving from Waterville to Pishon’s Ferry, 
on the east side of the Kennebec River, I heard the unmistakable notes 
of Otocoris. Getting my glass from my traveling case, I alighted from 
my carriage and went in search of the two birds, which had flown from 
the road into a field of plowed ground near by. The birds were too 
wary and could not be approached near enough to decide positively that 
it was O. a. praticola. 
Three weeks later, July 17, while driving along the same route, six 
Horned Larks flew from the road into a cornfield beside the road. Hav- 
ing my glass ready for use, I at once left my team and went in search 
of them. I flushed them, and farther down the road, I saw several more 
Larks feeding in the road with the Grass Finches. While examining 
them with my glass, they flew to a large piece of plowed ground and 
scattered about. In all there were twelve or fourteen birds, mostly 
young birds. I then drove to the next house, borrowed a gun and shells 
loaded with number six shot and went back and shot one adult female 
and two young. I could not get near enough to get any more adult 
birds. These proved to be praticola, and established a record of their 
breeding in the State. August 7 (three weeks later), I looked for them 
at the same place, but was not able to find a bird. 
The plowed ground which they frequented was a large patch, that had 
been plowed in the spring, but being so wet, the owner, Mr. Lowell 
White, had not planted it, though in July it was dry enough and rather 
sandy, and well covered in patches with weeds. This field is situated 
about one half mile from the Kennebec River, in Kennebec County, 
bordering Somerset County. There are large fields of sandy land, and 
it is a typical location for Otocoris alpestris praticola to nest. — J. Mer- 
ton Swain , Portland, Me. Auk, XVII, Oot., 1900, p 
