MOTACILLID^ — THE WAGTAILS AND PIPITS. Ill 



Subgenus Anthus Bechstein. 

 Anthus pensilvanicus (Lath.) 



AMERICAN PIPIT. 



Popular synonyms.— American Titlark; Pennsylvanian Piiiit: Louisiana Pipit. 

 Alanda pensilvanica Lath. Syn. Suppl. 1. 1787, 287. 

 Anthus pensylvanicu.i Thienemann, Rhea, ii, 1*17, 171. 

 Alanda luduviciana CiM. 8. N. i, pt. ii, 1788,79.!. 

 Anthus ludovicianus LicHT. Verz. Doubl. 182:). 37.— AUD. Synop. 1833, 94; B. Am. ill, 

 1841, 4(1. pi. 150.— NuTT. Man. 2(1 ed. 1810. 517.— Baird. B. N. Am. 1858, 2.32; Cat. N. 

 Am. B. 18V.1, No. IdS; Review, lS-64. 153.— t'OUEs, Key, 1872, 90; Check List, 1873, No. 65; 

 2d ed. I8.S2, No. 83; B. N. W. 1874. I'l; B. Col. V;vl. 1878, I'O.- B. B. & B. Hi3t. N. Am. 

 B. 1, 1874. 171, pi. 10, Mg. 3.— KiDGW. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 71. 

 Alanda rufa Was. Am. Orn. v, 1812, 80, pi. 42, flg. 4. 

 Anthus spinoletia NuTT. Man. i, 1832, 45". 



Anthus aquatic us Sw. & Rich. F. B. A. ii, 1831. 231, pi. 44.— Aud. Orn. Biog. i, (name on 

 pi. 10). 

 Anthus pipiens Aud. Orn. Biog. i, 1832, 408; v, 1839, 449, pi. 80. 



Hab. Whole of .Vorth America, but breeding only north of the United States, except on 

 summits of the higher western mountains, where breeding south to Colorado, at least; 

 south. In winter to Guatemala and Bermudas, but apparently not to West Indies. 



"8p. Char. (Female, in spring.) Above olive-brown, each leather slightly darker 

 towards the central portion; beneath pale dull buff, or yellowish brown, with a maxillary 

 series of dark brown spots and streaks across the breast and along sides. Ring round 

 the eye, and superciliary stripe, yellowish. Central tail-feathers like the back, others 

 dark blackish brown; the external one white, except at the base within; a white spot at 

 the end of the second. Primaries edged with whitish, other quills with pale brownish. 

 Length, 6.50; wing, 3.45; tail, 2.95." 



In Illinois, the Titlark is known only as a sijriug and fall migrant, 

 or, in the southern portions, an occasional winter resident appearing 

 irregularly in small flocks, which frequent wet grassy plaees, where 

 they move upon the ground with a graceful gliding walk, tilting the 

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

 Seiurus. It is very restless, the flocks seldom remaining long at 

 one place, but soon taking wing, they flit to another spot, or in 

 graceful sweeps pass and repass over a particular place before alight- 

 ing. During the author's sojourn in western Nevada, in the winter 

 of 1867-68, the Titlark was perhaps the most abundant of the winter 

 residents there. This was particularly the case at the Tnickee 

 Meadows, where, in November, they came in immense flocks and 

 spread over the soggy fields. They remained during the moder- 

 ately cold weather for the greater portion of the winter, occasionally 

 congregating by thousands about the haystacks and corrals. They 

 were equally abundant at Carson City, particularly in the vicinity 



