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Range (Eastern United States breeds) (III)

Eastern United States; breeds from Pennsylvania to Quebec, and southward in Alleghanies to North Carolina; winters in tropics. Washington, common T. V., Apl. 25 to May 25; Aug. 28 to Sept. 25. Sing Sing, tolerably common S. R., Apl. 25 to Aug. 26. Cambridge, abundant S. R., May 1 to Aug. 25.

Nest, of plant down, plant fibers, rootlets, fine strips of bark, and long hairs, generally in a crotch five to fifteen feet up. Eggs, three to five, white, unmarked, 63 × 51.

When music was distributed, I believe most of our Flycatchers had back seats. It was an unfortunate circumstance, for their sedentary habits and apparently thoughtful, serious, even poetic dispositions make one believe that with proper training they might have taken high rank as musicians.

Instead of the simple melody we might expect to hear from the modest Least Flycatcher, he salutes us with a singularly inappropriate, business-like chebéc, chebéc, varying the performance by murderous sallies after passing insects. In crescendo passages he literally rises to the occasion, and on trembling wings sings an absurd "chebéc, tooralooral, chebéc, tooral-ooral," with an earnestness deserving better results. The Chebec, however, possesses originality; we can not confuse his voice with that of any other bird, and young ornithologists should give him a vote of thanks for his clear enunciation. He prefers fruit and shade trees to those of forest growth, and is therefore an inhabitant of our lawns and orchards.

LARKS.

FAMILY ALAUDIDE.

LARKS.

The Horned Larks are the only representatives of this family found in America. About one hundred species, of which the Skylark is the best known, are found in the Old-World.

They are terrestrial birds, generally colored in harmony with their haunts, and, except during the nesting season, are usually found in flocks. 474. Otocoris alpestris * (Linn.). HORNED LARK; SHORE LARK. Ad. .-Forehead, line over the eye, ear region, and throat sulphur-yellow; fore part of the crown, a tuft of elongated feathers on either side of the head, a mark from the bill below the eye and then downward to the side of the throat, and a patch on the breast black; back of the head and neck and rump vinaceous, more or less washed with grayish brown; back grayish brown, edged with brownish ash and tinged with vinaceous; wing-coverts deep vinaceous; tail black, the outer vanes of the outer feathers margined with white, the middle feathers broadly margined with brownish and vinaceous; lower breast and belly white, the former more or less soiled with dusky spots; sides vinaceous. Ad.. -Similar, but the markings, especially those of the head, less sharply defined, neck less vinaceous, etc. Fall and winter specimens. Similar, but with the black markings veiled by yellowish or whitish tips to the feathers. L., 7·75; "W., 4·27; T., 2.84; B. from N., 40" (Dwight).