HISTORY OF THE 



With the habits and actions of these terrestrial birds away 

 from their breeding grounds, I am very familiar, having met 

 with them often upon both coasts as well as inland; but I do 

 not think I can add anything of interest to the following from 

 Doctor Brewer's description in "North American Land Birds: " 



"At different seasons of the year the American Pipit is found 

 throughout the continent, and abundant for the time in the sev- 

 eral parts of the country, chiefly frequenting the least cultivated 

 portions, and apparently preferring the sterile and least attract- 

 ive regions. It is one of the most extensively distributed of all 

 our North American birds, being found in immense numbers 

 over the whole length and breadth of North America. Gambel 

 met them in large numbers in New Mexico and California; 

 Richardson found them on the plains of the Saskatchewan; it is 

 abundant in the Arctic regions from May to October, and is 

 equally common on the coast of Labrador; Mr. Dall found it 

 universal from British Columbia north. It is also found in 

 Florida, Cape St. Lucas, Mexico, and Central America. Acci- 

 dental specimens have occurred in Europe. 



"This Lark is a bird of easy and beautiful flight, passing and 

 repassing through the air with graceful evolutions, and when 

 moving to new localities, sweeping over the place several times 

 before alighting. It also moves rapidly on the ground and after 

 the manner of the true Larks, jerking the tail like our Water- 

 Thrushes and the European Wagtails. 



"When feeding on the open ground in the interior, their 

 food is chiefly insects and small seeds. On the banks of rivers 

 and on the seashore they are fond of running along the edge of 

 the water, searching among the drift for insects, small shells and 

 crustaceans. ' ' 



In regard to its breeding habits Mr. Audubon says: 



"I found it breeding very abundantly on the coast of Labra- 

 dor, on the moss-covered rocks, as well as in the deep valleys, but 

 never at any very great distance from the sea. The nests were 

 usually placed at the foot of a wall of the rocks, buried in the 

 dark mould, and beautifully formed of fine bent grass, arranged 

 in a circular manner, without any hair or other lining. Both 



