ANTHUS LUDOVICIANUS : AMERICAN PIPIT. 



southward range in the breeding season is given by 

 Allen as limited by the Hudsonian Fauna. It is a 

 rather abundant bird in New England during the mi- 

 grations in spring and fall, especially along the coast, 

 which seems to be its principal course ; but it also 

 winters at least as far north as Massachusetts. At that 

 season it is found in loose, straggling flocks, sometimes 

 numbering hundreds of individuals, roaming irregular- 

 ly over open parts of the country, particularly in mari- 

 time localities. Its habits under such circumstances 

 are much like those of the Shore Lark, though its 

 voice, flight, and general appearance are entirely dif- 

 ferent. It has a weak, piping note, according with the 

 vacillating disposition which its tremulous and devious 

 flight seems to indicate ; and has the characteristic 

 habit which has given to the whole family the names 

 " Wag-tail " or " Motacilla. 



The bird breeds abundantly along the coast of Lab- 

 rador, and in other parts of the Hudsonian Fauna. 

 The nest and eggs, found in that country by Dr. Coues, 

 are described by him in the following terms : " It was 

 placed on the side of a steep, precipitous chasm in a 

 cavity of the earth of about the size of a child's head, 

 in which a little dry moss had been previously intro- 

 duced to keep the nest from the damp earth. It was 

 composed entirely of rather coarse dry grasses, very 

 loosely put together, with no lining of any sort. The 

 external diameter was about 6 inches ; the internal 3, 

 the depth 2. The eggs were in one instance 5, in 

 another 4 ; their average length, for they varied some- 

 what, was 13-16 of an inch by 9^-16 in greatest diam- 

 eter ; of a dark chocolate color, indistinctly marked 

 with numerous small lines and streaks of black." 



