Nesting of the Prairie Horned Lark 
in Vermont. 
Upon looking u p the records on the subject 
I have not been able to find any authentic 
record of any of the Shore Larks breeding 
within the New England States, and therefore 
the following notes on the nesting of the 
Prairie Horned Lark ( Otocoris alpestris prati- 
cola ) will be of interest. 
It occurs in this section from September 
through the winter until July, with the excep- 
tion of December and January. 
The birds arrive about the middle of Sep- 
tember, and become generally dispersed by 
the twentieth of that month, and are common 
during October and a greater part of Novem- 
ber, when they depart. They reappear again 
about the middle of February, and become 
common by the last of that month, when they 
remain in greater or less abundance during 
March. The bulk of them migrate in March, 
leaving a few pairs here and there which 
doubtless all might be taken in the act of 
breeding. 
From its occurring during this part of the 
year I have long thought to place it on the list 
of the birds which breed in this locality, but I 
have not until recently been able to do so from 
a positively identified nest. 
Two of these have come to my notice, one 
found early in April, 1885 (I can not give the 
exact date of either), contained three young 
birds and one egg. Unfortunately the parent 
bird was not taken with the nest, but as it was 
collected by an ornithological friend who is 
familiar with the species, there can be no 
doubt as to its identity. The other was also 
taken early in April land contained four eggs. 
I have examined one of these eggs and it is 
unquestionably that of a Shore Lark. 
I can also note one instance (April 0, 1888) 
of an immature egg taken from the 9 which 
must have been deposited in a short time. 
The nest which removes all uncertainty in 
regard to the breeding of this species in this 
locality, however, I collected April 19, 1889. 
While passing through a meadow, I flushed an 
old bird, which tried in every way possible to 
decoy me away. Upon looking around I dis- 
covered the nest, which I took with the 9 
bird. The nest was situated on grass land, on 
slightly sloping ground. It was a loose struc- 
ture, like most ground nesters, and was sunk 
in the ground to the rim. It was composed of 
coarse grass lined with the same and contained 
four eggs slightly incubated. 
I think the Shore Lark will yet be found to 
be not a rare breeder in this locality. 
C. IL Parkhill. 
Cornwall, Vermont. 
[At my request Mr. Parkhill sent the 9 bird 
which he took to Mr. William Brewster for 
identification, and Mr. Parkhill writes me that 
Mr. Brewster pronounces it to be a typical 
specimen of the Prairie Horned Lark ( Otocoris 
alpestris praticola), and, furthermore, that it is 
the first recorded instance of the breeding 
of any form of Otocoris in New England. — 
J.P.N.] O &0. XIV. June. 1889 p.87 
/Oj’ 
