178 Contributions from the Charleston Museum. 



Throughout the winter the birds are common in fields as well 

 as among the sand hills on the coast islands. They have a pre- 

 dilection for land which is being plowed, and, as a furrow is turned, 

 the birds at once fly or walk to the place in search of worms and 

 insects which are exposed. They are, therefore, of great 

 benefit to the agriculturist and are seldom, if ever, molested. 



The Titlark is also fond of land which has been burned, and 

 when the farmers burn the grass in winter the smoke attracts 

 large numbers of these birds from places more than a mile away. 

 During very cold weather the birds come into my yard and feed 

 with the poultry. If the weather is warm the great majority of 

 the birds that have wintered migrate early in March, but if the 

 month is cold, flocks remain until the 16th. On March 30, 1910, 

 I saw several of these birds — a very late date. By April 6, only 

 a few belated migrants are left. 



The Titlark breeds in the mountains of Colorado and the 

 Sierra Nevadas among the snow fields above timber line. It also 

 breeds in Newfoundland, Labrador, and Alaska. 



280. Anthus spragueii (Aud.). Spr ague's Pipit; Sprague's 

 Missouri Lark. 



The type specimen of this fine species was taken by Mr. Isaac 

 Sprague on June 19, 1843, near Fort Union, North Dakota.^ 



On November 24, 1893, I shot a specimen near Mount Pleasant, 

 and on November 17, 1900, I shot another within a quarter of a 

 mile of the spot where the first was taken. Again on November 1, 

 1904, I saw and heard one sing. These records were pub- 

 lished by the writer in the Auk.^ As they are inacces- 

 sible to most students who are interested in the ornithology of 

 South Carolina I herewith transcribe them in full: 



The capture of this far western species was the good fortune of the writer on 

 the morning of November 24, 1893. I had taken advantage of the spring tide to 

 secure some Scott's Sparrows (Ammodramus maritimus peninsulce) \==Passerherhulus 

 maritimus macgill'ivran], and upon going over a cyclone-swept cotton field en 

 route to the marshes, I noticed a bird that resembled the Titlark (Anthus pensilv- 

 anicus) but observed that it did not wag its tail. I knew at once what it was — a 

 western prize, and I at once shot it. The bird is an adult male in very fine unworn 

 plumage, and was very fat. The exact locality was nine miles from Mount 

 Pleasant, and two miles from the ocean. As far as I am aware this is the first 

 eastern record for this species. 



It is with much pleasure that I am again able to record the capture of this 



1 Audubon, Birds of America, VII, 334. 



2 XI, 1894, 80; XVIII, 1901, 275, and XXII, 1905, 400. 



