198 
BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA 
head and line over eye and lower parts except the sides, and sides of breast, which 
are very similar to back, white, long tufts or “horns” black ; chin and throat yel¬ 
low ; very long hind claw ; middle tail feathers about same as back ; the rest black, 
the outer pair with white outer webs. 
Habitat .—Northeastern North America, Greenland and northern parts of the Old 
World ; in winter south in the eastern United States to the Carolinas, Illinois, etc. 
The Horned Lark is a somewhat common winter resident in eastern 
Pennsylvania. It arrives in this region, from its northern breeding 1 
grounds, early in November, and remains until about the last week in 
February. These birds, during their residence with us, are usually 
found in small parties of twelve or twenty, occasionally, however, flocks 
of a hundred or more are seen. The Horned Larks frequent fields, or 
other similar open situations, where seeds of different weeds and grasses 
are procurable. When deep snows cover their favorite feeding grounds, 
they oftentimes are observed in public roads throughout the country 
districts searching for food; they also at times, when driven by hunger, 
visit barnyards. 
According to Nuttall their food consists of various kinds of seeds 
which remain on the grass and weeds, and the eggs and dormant larvae 
of insects, when they fall in their way. In the stomachs of thirteen of 
these birds, taken in Chester and Delaware counties (Pa.), I found that 
eleven had fed on different kinds of small seeds; two, in addition to 
small seeds, had fed on grain (particles of corn and oats). 
The Prairie Horned Lark ( 0 . a. praticola, Hensli.,) is the common 
form in the region of Lake Erie, where it occurs as a regular summer 
resident. This last named geographical “ race ” or variety, is the bird 
which occurs throughout the western and central parts of the state. It 
is smaller and paler in color than the typical alpestris. The nest is 
built in a depression of the ground in a field, the eggs, said to be 
usually four in number, are described as a light-greenish or dull-greenish 
buff, spotted with different shades of brown. 
Note. —In the spring of 1852 Mr. John Gorgas, of Wilmington, Dela¬ 
ware, liberated about fifty Skylarks {Alauda arvensis, Linn.), which he 
had imported from England, near the city of Wilmington. For a period 
of about two years these birds were seen at irregular intervals in the 
counties of Chester and Delaware, Pa., but in the fall of 1854, I am in¬ 
formed by Mr. B. M. Everhart, of West Chester, they disappeared and 
have not since been seen. 
Family CORVHLE. Crowds, Jays, Etc. 
THE CROWS AND JAYS. 
Five species of this family are found in Pennsylvania. The American Crow and 
Blue Jay are two of the best known species, both are common and are found with 
us during all seasons. The Fish Crow occurs as a summer resident in a few locali¬ 
ties in southeastern Pennsylvania, chiefly along the Delaware and Susquehanna 
rivers. The Raven, a resident in the wildest of our mountainous regions, is, in some 
