61 
Interior of British North America. 
Mr. Murray notes it from Hudson’s Bay, and Mr. Bernard Ross 
from the Mackenzie. 
34. Neocorys spraguii. 
The Missouri Skylark, hitherto looked on as a rare bird, is 
common on the prairies of the Saskatchawan during the breed¬ 
ing-season. The first occasion on which I found it was in the 
neighbourhood of Fort Carlton, on May 6th. When disturbed 
from the prairie grass, which is its general haunt, it utters a 
single chirp, and immediately mounts in the air by a circuitous 
course, with a very undulating flight, to a great height, where it 
rests in a peculiar manner on its outstretched wings, and utters 
a very striking song, which it is difficult to describe, and I can 
liken to nothing I know. The sound is repeated in a quick 
succession of notes in the descending scale, each note being 
lower than the preceding. The bird then usually descends to 
the ground with great rapidity, almost like a stone, and some¬ 
thing similar to a hawk swooping on its prey. These striking 
manners, if once seen, are not to be forgotten; and I should 
recognize the note instantly, even if I heard it in the depths of 
a mangrove-swamp in the tropics. I found it rather difficult of 
approach, and hard to shoot. How this bird should have been 
so long overlooked seems marvellous, for I do not know a 
more common bird on the buffalo plains of the Saskatchawan 
during summer, and it must consequently be a visitor to the 
southern prairies. I find also, by my note-books, that I observed 
it in Northern Minnesota on the 4th of May, 1859. My spe¬ 
cimen from Fort Carlton was a male; it measured in length 6| 
inches, the wing 3J inches, and bill along the ridge scarcely 
half an inch; the eye was hazel; feet dull flesh-colour, tinged 
with yellowish underneath; bill above and at the point dusky, 
remainder of under mandible flesh. The first four quill-feathers 
were nearly equal and the longest, the fifth being |ths of an inch 
shorter; greater coverts tipped with dull white. It differs from 
Anthus ludovicianus principally in the bill, legs, chin, line over 
the eye, and tail-feathers. 
Mniotilta varia (the Black-and-white Creeper) and Oporornis 
varius (the Connecticut Warbler) are given as doubtful by Mr. 
Bernard Ross on the Mackenzie. 
