INSESSORES. 71 



Mr. H. E. Dresser, a naturalist well acquainted 

 with American birds, in a recent letter to me upon 

 the subject, says : " I have two skins of this bird, 

 and can lend you one for inspection. It is the only 

 Pipit found in America, the nearest approach to one 

 being the Missouri Skylark, an almost unknown 

 bird. It is not unlike our Titlark, and, by a casual 

 observer, would easily be mistaken for it. Its habits 

 are also like those of our Titlark." 



It appears also to approach the MotacillidcB more 

 closely than any other of the Pipits, a peculiarity in 

 this species (as observed by Edwards) being that 

 '' when the wing is closely gathered up, the third 

 quill from the body reaches to its tip, which is a 

 constant characteristic of the Water Wagtail genus." 

 The state of plumage which has obtained for it the 

 specific names of rubra and rufa, is no doubt that 

 which is assumed in the breeding season. 



Since the above lines were written, I have met 

 with a note by Mr. Swainson,* in which he says : 

 " The little Pennsylvanian lark of Edwards is pro- 

 bably a variety of ours, in which ' the outer feathers 

 on each side of the tail are white, and the two next 

 to them have white tips. The under side, from bill 

 to tail, is of a light reddish brown, with dusky spots.' 

 In one bird these spots are confined to the breast 

 and flanks. His figure is poor. That of Wilson is 



X ' Fauna Boreali Americana,' part ii., Birds. 



