This sub-species is considerably smaller than the Horned Lark, and the throat is paler yellow, while the line over the eye and the forehead is white. They are the most abundant and have the most extended range of any of the better known species. In the Mississippi Valley, where they are of the most common of the nesting birds, they build on the ground in meadows or cultivated fields, and very often in cornfields; the nests are made of grasses and lined with horse hairs or feathers, and placed in slight hollows generally under a tuft of grass or sods. They raise two broods a season and sometimes three, laying the first set of eggs in March and another in June or July. The three or four eggs have an olive buff ground and are thickly sprinkled with drab and lavender; size .83 × .60. 474c. DESERT HORNED LARK. _Otocoris alpestris leucolæma._ Range.--Plains of western United States, east of the Rockies and west of Kansas and Dakota; breeds north to Alberta, and winters south to Mexico, Texas and southern California. This species is like _praticola_, but paler on the back; nest and eggs the same. 474d. TEXAS HORNED LARK. _Otocoris alpestris giraudi._ Range.--Coast of southeastern Texas. A pale variety like _leucolæma_, but smaller; throat bright yellow, and breast tinged with yellow. Nest and eggs like those of the others. 474e. CALIFORNIA HORNED LARK. _Otocoris alpestris actia._ Range.--Lower California and southern California. This bird is similar to the last but the yellow areas are brighter, and the nape and back are ruddy. 474f. RUDDY HORNED LARK. _Otocoris alpestris rubea._ Ranges--Sacramento Valley, California. 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. [Illustration 300: Olive buff.] [Illustration: 474c--474e--474f.] [Illustration: Olive buff.] [Illustration: deco.] [Illustration: left hand margin.] Page 299 474g. STREAKED HORNED LARK. _Otocoris alpestris strigata._ Range.--Northwestern United States (Washington, 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._