The Bird Book Part 63

This variety has the yellow areas brighter than in any other and the back and nape are more ruddy. The eggs cannot be distinguished from those of the others.

[Ill.u.s.tration 300: Olive buff.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 474c--474e--474f.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Olive buff.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: deco.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

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474g. STREAKED HORNED LARK. _Otocoris alpestris strigata._

Range.--Northwestern United States (Was.h.i.+ngton, Oregon and northern California).

Similar to the last, but with the back broadly streaked with black, the ruddy less intense and the underparts tinged with yellowish.

474h. SCORCHED HORNED LARK. _Otocoris alpestris adusta._

Range.--Western Mexico, north in summer to southern Arizona.

This variety has the back and nape nearly a uniform pinkish ruddy with but little streaking.

474i. DUSKY HORNED LARK. _Otocoris alpestris merrilli._

Range.--Northwestern United States and southern British Columbia, wintering south to central California.

Similar to _praticola_ but slightly darker above.

474j. SONORA HORNED LARK. _Otocoris alpestris pallida._

Range.--Gulf coast of northern Lower California.

The upperparts of this variety are very pale pinkish brown.

474k. HOYT'S HORNED LARK. _Otocoris alpestris hoyti._

Range.--Interior of British America, west of Hudson Bay and east of Alaska, south in winter in the interior of the United States to Kansas.

Much larger than the last; equal in size and similar to _articola_ but with the throat yellowish and the upperparts darker and brighter.

474l. MONTEZUMA HORNED LARK. _Otocoris alpestris occidentalis._

Range.--Western New Mexico and eastern Arizona, south in winter to northern Mexico.

This variety has the upperparts pale brownish and not streaked; throat and forehead yellowish.

474m. ISLAND HORNED LARK. _Otocoris alpestris insularis._

Range.--Santa Barbara Islands, California.

Similar to _strigata_ but darker. With the exception of the three large varieties of Horned Larks found north of our borders, neither the eggs nor, in most cases, the birds can be identified without the precise location where they were taken.

[Ill.u.s.tration deco (301).]

[Ill.u.s.tration right hand border.]

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CROWS, JAYS, MAGPIES, ETC. Family CORVIDae.

475. MAGPIE. _Pica pica hudsonia._

Range.--Western North America from the Great Plains to the Pacific and from Alaska to Arizona and New Mexico.

These large handsome birds have the entire head, neck and breast velvety black, abruptly defined against the white underparts. The back, wings and tail are greenish or bluish black, and the scapulars, white; length of bird 20 inches. They are well known throughout the west, where their bold and thievish habits always excite comment. They nest in bushes and trees at low elevations from the ground, making a very large nest of sticks, with an opening on the side, and the interior is made of weeds and mud, lined with fine gra.s.ses; these nests often reach a diameter of three feet and are made of quite large sticks. During April or May, they lay from four to eight grayish white eggs, plentifully spotted with brown and drab. Size 1.25 x .90.

476. YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIE. _Pica nuttalli._

Range.--Middle parts of California, west of the Sierra Nevadas.

This species is slightly smaller than the last and has a yellowish bill and lores, otherwise being precisely like the more common species. Their habits do not differ from those of the other, the nests are the same and the eggs are indistinguishable. Size 1.25 x .88.

[Ill.u.s.tration 302: Magpie.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Grayish white.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Grayish white.]

[Ill.u.s.tration.]

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[Ill.u.s.tration 303: R. B. Rockwell.

NEST OF AMERICAN MAGPIE.]

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[Ill.u.s.tration 304: YOUNG BLUE JAYS.]

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477. BLUE JAY. _Cyanocitta cristata cristata._