HUDSON'S SPINE-TAIL 221 



The addition of del campo signifies that it is a bird 

 of the open country. It is, in fact, found exclusively 

 on the grassy pampas, never perching on trees, and 

 in habits is something like a Pipit, usually being 

 taken for one when first seen. It is quite common 

 everywhere on the pampas, and specimens have also 

 been obtained in Cordova, Uruguay, and Patagonia. 

 This Spine-tail is resident, solitary, and extremely 

 timid and stealthy in its movements, living always 

 on the ground among the long grass and cardoon- 

 thistles. At times its inquisitiveness overcomes its 

 timidity, and the bird then darts up three or four 

 yards into the air, and jerking its tail remains some 

 moments poised aloft with breast towards the in- 

 truder, emitting sharp little notes of alarm, after 

 which it darts down again and disappears in the grass. 

 This is a habit common to most Pipits. When driven 

 up it has a wild zigzag flight, and after reaching a 

 considerable height in the air darts down again 'with 

 astonishing swiftness, and comes back to the very 

 spot from which it rose. It is, however, incapable of 

 sustained flight, and after being flushed two or three 

 times refuses to rise again. In spring the male perches 

 on the summit of a cardoon-bush, or other slight 

 elevation, and at regular intervals utters a pleasing 

 and melancholy kind of song or call, which can be 

 heard distinctly at a distance of a thousand yards, 

 composed of four long clear plaintive notes, in- 

 creasing in strength, and succeeded by a falling trill. 

 When approached it becomes silent, and dropping 

 to the ground conceals itself in the grass. Under a 



