AMERICAN PIPIT. 385 



Family MOTACILLID^. Wagtails. 



Genus ANTHUS Beciistein. 



Subgenus ANTHUS. 



ANTHUS PENSILVANICUS (Lath.) 



293. American Pipit. (697) 



Points of wings formed by the four outer primaries, the tiftli Ijeing abruptly 

 shorter. Hind claw, nearly straight, nearly or quite equal to its digit. Above, 

 dark browTi, with a slight olive shade, most of the feathers with dusky centres ; 

 eyelids, superciliary line and under parts, pale buft'y or ochrey-brown, variable 

 in shade ; breast and sides of neck and body, thickly streaked with dusky : 

 wings and tail, blackish ; inner secondaries, pale-eilged ; one or more outei- tail 

 feathers, wlioUy or partly white. Length, about (H ; wing, 3g ; tail, 2f-3. 



Hab. — North America at large, breeding in the higher parts of the Rocky 

 Mountains and subarctic districts, and wintering in the Gulf States, Mexico 

 and Central Ameiica. Accidental in Europe. 



Nest, a cavity in tlie ground, lined thickly with coarse, dry grass. 



Eggs, four or five, dark chocolate, with spots and streaks of grayish-brown. 



In. spring and fall, loose straggling flocks of Pipits are seen on the 

 commons, either searching for food on the ground, or in short stages 

 working their way to their breeding grounds in the far north, though 

 how they ever get there is a wonder to any one who notices their 

 weak and vacillating flight. 



In the spring they pass along very quickly, but in the fall they 

 are seen in flocks by the shores of muddy ponds or creeks, or in 

 moist meadows in the open country, nervously jerking their tails 

 after the manner of the Water-thrushes. Their only note while here 

 is a weak, timid cheep, uttered while on the wing. 



On the 20th of July, 1871, Mr. Allen found young birds of this 

 species, scarcely able to fly, on Mount Lincoln, Park County, Col- 

 orado, among the snow fields above timber line. 



Dr. Coues found them breeding abundantly on the coast of 

 Labrador, and noticed their habit of resorting to the sea shore at 

 low tide, there to ramble about in company with the Sandpipers 

 in search of food. 



Mr. Nelson says that they arrive at Fort Reliance on the upper 

 Yukon about the 1st of May, and leave about the 5th of October. 

 Kumlien reports that near his quarters, at the Cumberland Gulf, 

 they nested in crevices among the rocks, but in Greenland he found 

 them nesting in tussocks of grass like Sparrows. He tells us that 

 25 



