20 g THE AMERICAN PIPIT. 



to the awkward squad with young Cowbirds. A trim form and a natty suit 

 often save him from well merited derision, but all close observers will agree 

 that there is a screw loose in his make-up somewhere. The whole Pipit race 

 seems to be struggling under a strange inhibitory spell, cast upon some an- 

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

 tency of subtly distilled Arctic moonshine. As the flock comes straggling 

 down from the northland they utter unceasing yips of mild astonishment and 

 self-reproach at their apparent inability to decide \vhat to do next. Their in- 

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

 flanked by a primitive rail fence, as I have often done in northern Washing- 

 ton. One starts up ahead of you and thinks he will settle on the top rail and 

 watch you go by. As his feet near the rail he decides 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 yip, as tho the rail were hot and he 

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

 disgusted with such silly vacillation and inane yipping, and clap spurs to your 

 horse, resolved to escape the annoyance of having to follo\v such dubious 

 fortunes. 



In social flight the Pipits straggle out far apart, so as to allow plenty of 

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

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

 those which annually traverse our state fly low enough to be readilv seen ; 

 but when they do they are jolting along over the landscape and complaining 

 at every other step. The note is best rendered tlip-yip, less accurately pip-it 

 (whence of course the name) ; and a showier of these petulant sounds comes 

 spattering down out of the sky when the birds themselves are nearly or quite 

 invisible. 



The birds rarely appear singly, but move commonly in loose companies 

 of from ten to a hundred individuals. The fall movement is quite leisurely, 

 and not infrequently snow flies before the last stragglers are safely past. At 

 this time of year they are to be found, if at all, in close-cropped pastures, fal- 

 low fields, or upon the gravelly shores of rivers and ponds. In spring the 

 return movement is much more definite and concentrated. The main body 

 of migrants passes through about the second week in May, altho stragglers 

 in winter plumage occur casually in March and April. The bird is reported 

 by Ridgway as an occasional winter resident in southern Illinois, and it could 

 probably be found at that season in the southern part of this state. 



Spring flocks may be looked for in freshly plowed fields, where they feed 

 attentively and often silently, moving about with "graceful gliding walk, 

 tilting the body and wagging the tail at each step, much in the manner of a 

 Sciiirns." 



