BIRDS OF KANSAS. ■ 575 



Alaska; soutliern breeding limits unknown; probably breed in 

 suitable localities from the northern United States northward 

 throughout its range; south in winter to Lower California, 

 Mexico and Central America. (I have a female in "The Goss 

 Ornithological Collection," which I shot February 11th, 1883, 

 at San Jose, Guatemala.) 



Sp. Chak. Above, dark grayish brown, the feathers of the pileum with in- 

 distinctly darker centers. Beneath, yellowish white, the throat thickly spotted, 

 and the breast and sides heavily streaked, with blackish dusky; a superciliary 

 stripe of pale fulvous; a dusky stripe along upper edge of the auriculars. 

 Lores crossed by a distinct streak of black. Center of the abdomen immacu- 

 late; lower tail coverts with central streaks of grayish dusky; lining of the 

 wing smoky gray. The plumage of the typical specimen of this bird is in all 

 respects, so far as I can see, quite identical with that of ordinary darker plum- 

 aged specimens of S. noveboracensis, such as occur more commonly west of the 

 Alleghauies, except that the superciliary stripe does not extend so far back and 

 the streaks on the breast are broader; the former character may be merely ap- 

 parent, however, and owing to the "make-up" of the skin. {Bidgway.) 



Stretch of 

 Length. iving. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 6.15 9.80 3.10 2.15 .82 .50 



Female.... 5.90 9.40 2.90 2.00 .82 .50 



Iris dark brown; bill brownish black, under pale at base; 

 legs, feet and claws pale brown. 



These terrestial birds frequent the low woodlands bordering 

 streams and ponds. I have never met with them on high 

 grounds, nor far from water. They move about with a graceful 

 step, almost continually vibrating their tails, like the Pipits, 

 and for this reason are usually known as Wagtails. They feed 

 chiefly upon the small forms of aquatic life, and often wade 

 about in the water in search of the same. 



Their call note is a Sparrow-like "Chip;" their song, quite 

 loud, clear and musical. I have never met with the birds on 

 their breeding grounds. The following description of their 

 nests, etc., is taken from Mr. Nelson's "Report upon Natural 

 History Collections in Alaska:" 



"At Fort Yukon, Dall found a nest containing two eggs, in 

 a bushy spruce, on the first of June; but he saw none of the 

 birds at Nulato, and considered it uncommon. My own ex- 

 perience at the Yukon mouth proves the bird to be one of the 



