THE AMERICAN PIPIT. 



awkwarti squad witli young Biackl)irils; a trim fonii and a natty suit often 

 save liini from well niiritcd derision, but all close observers will agree tliat 

 there is a screw loose in iiis inake-U[) somewhere. The whole Pipit race 

 seems to be struggling under a strange inhibitcjry spell, cast uim^u some an- 

 cestor, perhaps, by one knows not what art of nodding heather bells or |kj- 

 tency of subtly distilled .\rctic moonshine. As the llock comes straggling 

 tlown from the northland they utter unceasing \tf>s of mild astonishment and 

 self-re|)roach at their apparent inability to tlecide what to do next. Their in- 

 decision is especially exasperating as one rides along a trail which is closely 

 llanked by a primitive rail fence, as I have often ilone in (Jkanogan County. 

 One starts up ahead of you and thinks he will settle on the top rail an<l watch 

 you go by. .-\s his feet near the rail he decitles he won't, after all, but that 

 he will go a few feet farther before alighting. If he actually does alight 

 he instantly tumbles off with a startled yif', as tho the rail were hot and he 

 had burnt his toes. Then he tries a jmisi with no better success, until you get 

 ilisgusted with such silly vacillation and inane yipjjing, and clap sjnn"s to your 

 horse, resolved to escape tiie annoyance of having to follow such <lubious 

 fortunes. 



In social llight the Pipits straggle out far ajjart, so as to allow plenty of 

 room for their chronic St. \'itus"s dance to jerk them hither or thither or up 

 or down, without dasiiing with their fellows. Only a small percentage of 

 those which annually traverse the State tly low enough to lie readily seen; 

 but when they do they are jolting along over the landsca])e and complaining 

 at every other step. The note is best ren<lered tlif'-yif', less accurately /•i/'-i/ 

 (whence of course the name) ; and a shower of these |>etulant sounds comes 

 s]>attering down out of the sky when the birds themselves are nearly or quite 

 invisible. 



The fall migratii'iis of this species appear to lia\e ;i compound character. 

 Birds which make their appearance early in September are likely to (piarter 

 themselves in a given locality for several weeks at a time, tho whether these 

 rejirescnt the first refugees from the high North, or mark the |>ractical retreat 

 of our own nioimtainecrs. we cannot tell. Late comers pass thru more rapidly, 

 and the main host clears by late Oclol)er. but stragglers may be found in any 

 open lowland situation until late November. They are especially ])artial to 

 prairies.' close-cropped pastures, the gravelly shores and bars of rivers, lakes 

 and ponds, and the shingle of sca-l)eaches. .\t Semiahmoo the great ricks of 

 barnacle-covered piles, which are aninially corded on shore at the close of the 

 fishing season, are regarded in the light of a Pipit hotel. The birds not only 

 shelter among the timl)ers. but, after the fashion of Sandpijiers. glean busily 

 from their surfaces where the marine creatures, thru ex|)osure tf) the air, are 

 dying a fragrant death. 



The return movement of s])ring sets in early, and the main flight is more 



