50 



BIRDS OF THE ROCKIES 



Mr. Charles E. Aiken, of Colorado Springs, who has 

 been of not a little service in determining and classify- 

 ing the avian fauna of Colorado. My new-found friend 

 (the feathei'ed one, I mean) was the American pipit, 

 which some years ago was known as the tit-lark. 



" Te-cheer ! te-cheer ! te-cheer ! " (accent strong on 

 the second syllable) the birds exclaimed in half-petulant 

 remonstrance at mv intrusion as I hobbled about over 

 the rocks. Presently one of them darted up into the 

 air ; up, up, up, he swung in a series of oblique leaps 

 and circles, this way and that, until he became a mere 

 speck in the sky, and then disappeared from sight in 

 the ceiTilean depths beyond. All the while I could hear 

 his emphatic and rapidly repeated call, " Te-cheer ! te- 

 cheer ! " sifting down out of the blue canopy. How 

 long he remained aloft in " his watch-tower in the 

 skies "" I do not kno^\•, for one cannot well count 

 minutes in such exciting circumstances, but it seemed 

 a long time. By and by the call appeared 

 to be coming nearer, and the little 

 aeronaut swept down with a swiftness 

 that made my blood tingle, and 

 ' alighted on a rock as lightly as 

 a snowflake. Afterwards a num- 

 ber of other pipits performed 

 the same aerial exploit. 

 It was wonderful to see 



Pipits 



Te-cheer! Te-cheer ! ' 



