A History of North American Birds, Land Birds. Volume 2. Robert Ridgway
First plumage, entirely different from the adult. Above dusky, variegated with whitish dots, sprinkled over the whole surface; these specks terminal on each feather, and of a deltoid form, becoming more transverse and crescentic on the scapulars and rump; each feather of the wings broadly bordered with pale brownish, approaching white on the coverts. The blackish areas are but faintly indicated by a dusky suffusion, generally very indistinct, across the breast, and over the cheeks; and variegated with badly defined, more dusky spots; lower parts, including post-ocular stripe, dull white; sides spotted with dusky.
The E. alpestris, as restricted, is represented in the collection by three perfect specimens, in the several stages of plumage described; while there is also a fine specimen from Astrachan, representing a white-throated race (“var. bei” on MS. label) of Central Asia. The series of American specimens is all that could possibly be desired, there being numerous examples from nearly the whole northern continent, from the Arctic regions to as far south as Bogota, and from coast to coast.
The common Shore Lark of the northern parts of North America appears to be absolutely identical with the European bird, each of the specimens of the latter being easily matched from the American series. It therefore becomes necessary to reduce the name “cornuta” to a synonyme of alpestris, the former not affording characters to distinguish it as even a variety. To alpestris may also be referred the form known as “occidentalis, McCall,” those specimens from the interior regions which are destitute of any yellow tinge on the throat. Were this feature a constant one in specimens from the region which it characterizes, it would be, of course, right to retain the name in the form of alpestris var. occidentalis. As it is, however, quite a large percentage of the specimens from every locality where occidentalis is found have more or less yellow throats, but it is possible that this mixture of the two may be the result of irregular migrations, those yellow-throated individuals being stragglers from their breeding habitat,—more to the eastward and northward. In its white instead of straw-yellow throat, and more lilaceous than vinaceous upper parts, this form bears a close resemblance to a race of the deserts of Western (and Central?) Asia,—the “bei”26; the latter, however, has these features more exaggerated than in the one of the central plains of North America. Breeding throughout the table-lands of Mexico, and in the Western Province of the United States, north to about the 40th parallel, is a more strongly marked race, maintaining also more constancy in its peculiar features; this race is the E. chrysolæma, Wagl., of which name rufa, Aud., and minor, Giraud, are synonymes. This race, which we propose to call E. alpestris var. chrysolæma, differs from both the northern styles in smaller size and longer bill, and in coloration is the opposite extreme from occidentalis, having the vinaceous tints deeper and browner, instead of paler and less brown, than in cornuta (i. e. typical alpestris). The black markings are also more extended, in proportion to the other colors, reducing the white on the forehead to a very narrow band, instead of a broad spot equalling, or exceeding, the black in width. Specimens from Bogota—about the southern limit of the genus on this continent—are, perhaps, referrible to chrysolæma, or at least not very different from it, though described by Sclater as distinct, under the name peregrinus.27
In fewer words, the variations, with the region, are about as follows. Starting with North America, north of the United States, we begin with a style absolutely undistinguishable from that of Europe; this, to which the name cornuta belongs, visits the Eastern States only in winter, but breeds over the prairie region of Wisconsin, Illinois, and westward. West of the Rocky Mountains, especially south of about 40°, specimens referrible to this style are most numerous in winter, and in a large series a great percentage of the specimens entirely lack any yellow on the throat, while the pinkish-brown tints are lighter and less reddish; this style represents, in these peculiar features, the “var. bei” of Western Asia (Astrachan), and has been distinguished by the name occidentalis, McCall, though it is doubtful whether McCall’s description is of a specimen of this style or of one of chrysolæma, being taken from a young or immature bird. Breeding south of about 40°, from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific coast, and throughout the table-lands of Mexico,—in winter sometimes resident at the northern limit assigned, and there mixed with northern-bred individuals,—is a kind which is smaller, and, generally, with a larger bill; the throat is deeper yellow than in the northern form, the pinkish tints deepened into cinnamon, and the frontal band narrower, caused by an encroachment of the black, which, in its several areas, is extended more in proportion to the other colors. This is the E. chrysolæma of Wagl., and of which minor, Giraud, and rufa, Aud., are synonymes, as already stated.
Along the coast of Oregon and Washington Territory is a very peculiar race, represented in the collection by several specimens. These differ essentially in having the dark streaks above very sharply defined, broad and clear blackish-brown,28 while the lower parts are strongly tinged with yellow, even as deeply so as the throat. Additional specimens from the northwest coast may establish the existence of a race as distinct as any of those named above.
Alauda alpestris, Linn. S. N. I, 289.—Forst. Phil. Trans. LXII, 1772, 383.—Wilson,—Aud.—Jard.—Maynard, B. E. Mass. 1870, 121. Otocorys a. Finsch, Abh. Nat. 1870, 341 (synonomy and remarks). Alauda cornuta, Wils. Am. Orn. I, 1808, 85.—Rich. F. B. A. II. Eremophila c. Boie, Isis, 1828, 322.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 403.—Lord, P. R. A. Inst. IV, 118 (British Col.).—Cooper & Suckley, XII, 195.—Dall & Bannister, Tr. Ch. Ac. I, 1869, 218 (Alaska).—Cooper, Orn. Cal. I, 1870, 251.—Samuels, 280. Phileremos c. Bonap. List, 1838. Otocoris c. Auct. Otocoris occidentalis, McCall, Pr. A. N. Sc. V, June, 1851, 218 (Santa Fé).—Baird, Stansbury’s Rep., 1852, 318.
Char. Adult. Frontal whitish crescent more than half as broad as the black patch behind it. Throat and forehead either tinged, more or less strongly, with yellow, or perfectly white. Pinkish tint above, a soft ashy-vinaceous.
Measurements. (56,583 ♂, North Europe,) wing, 4.40; tail, 2.90; culmen, .60; width of white frontal crescent, .25; of black, .30. (3,780 ♂, Wisconsin,) wing, 4.20; tail, 3.00; culmen, .60; width of white frontal crescent, .30; of black, .26. (16,768 ♂, Hudson’s Bay Ter.,) wing, 4.55; tail, 3.10; culmen, .65; width of white frontal crescent, .35; of black, .36. (8,491 ♂, Fort Massachusetts,) wing, 4.35; tail, 3.15; culmen, .61; width of white frontal crescent, .27; of black, 27. (The three perfectly identical in colors.)
Young. On the upper parts the blackish greatly in excess of the whitish markings. Spots across jugulum distinct.
Hab. Northern Hemisphere; in North America, breeding in the Arctic regions and the open plains of the interior regions, from Illinois, Wisconsin, etc., to the Pacific, north of about 38°.
Alauda chrysolæma, Wagl. Isis, 1831, 350.—Bonap. P. Z. S. 1837, 111. Otocorys ch. Finsch, Abh. Nat. 1870, 341. Alauda minor, Giraud, 16 Sp. Tex. B. 1841. Alauda rufa, Aud. Birds Am. VII, 1843, 353, pl. ccccxcvii. Otocoris r., Heerm. X. s, 45. ? Otocorys peregrina, Scl. P. Z. S. 1855, 110, pl. cii. Eremophila p., Scl. Cat. Am. B. 1860, 127.
Char. Adult. Frontal crescent less than half as wide as the black. Throat and forehead deep straw-yellow; pinkish tints above deep cinnamon.
a. Specimens from California and Mexico, streaks on back, etc., very obsolete; darker central stripe to middle tail-feathers scarcely observable; white beneath.
b. Specimens from coast of Oregon and Washington Territory. Streaks on back, etc., very conspicuous; dark central stripe of tail-feathers distinct; yellow beneath.
Measurements. (8,734 ♂, Fort Steilacoom,) wing, 3.75; tail, 2.60; bill, .61—.15—.40.
Hab. Middle America, from the desert regions of the southern Middle Province of North America, south to Bogota.
Habits.
The name in manuscript on the label of a specimen in the Schlüter collection, from Astrachan.
A specimen from Cleveland, Ohio (7,429 ♀, April 1, Dr. Kirtland), and one from Washington, D. C. (28,246 ♂, Feb.), have nearly as distinct streaks above, but the white of lower parts is without any tinge of yellow.