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Bird - Lore 



Color. — Many of the Wagtails wear rather striking costumes of black 

 and white or yellow, but Pipits are rather Lark-like in color, dull brown- 

 ish above; whitish, streaked below. 



External Structure. — Like the Larks, the Wagtails and Pipits have 

 the hind toenails much lengthened, but the bill is more slender than that 



of the Larks, the nostrils are 

 not covered by bristly tufts, 

 and the back of the tarsus is 

 thin, not rounded, as in front. 

 Appearance and Habits. — 

 The Motacillida are terres- 

 trial birds, and consequently 

 walkers, a trait which is a 

 field aid in distinguishing the 

 Pipit from certain ground - 

 haunting Sparrows, while from 

 the equally terrestrial Larks, 

 Wagtails and Pipits are to be 

 distinguished by their habit of 

 ' wagging ' or ' tetering ' their 

 tails. 

 Song. — The Pipit, like most terrestrial birds, usually sings on the 

 wing, but sometimes delivers its short whistled song from the ground. 

 As a migrant it utters only a faint dee-dee when taking wing or passing 

 overhead. 



AMERICAN PIPIT. Family Motaeillidas 

 (One-third natural size) 



The Young Observers' Prize Essay Contest 



We trust that all Young Observers will pardon the delay in report- 

 ing on their essays sent in competition for the prizes announced in 

 Bird -Lore for April and June, when they learn that it is due to the 

 Editor's absence on a bird-study journey in the Bahamas. 



Returning, he finds numerous contributions on the birds of February 

 and March, and the birds of April and May, and, as usual in similar 

 cases, finds much difficulty in deciding just which are the best. It was 

 only, therefore, after careful consideration that it was decided to award 

 the prize for the best essay on the Birds of February and March to 

 Master Vincent E. Gorman, of Montclair, New Jersey, while the prize 

 for the best essay on the Birds of April and May goes to Master Archie 

 Walker, of Andrews, North Carolina. Master Walker's essay appears 

 in this number of Bird-Lore as somewhat more seasonable than that 

 by Master Gorman, which will be published in due time. 



Among the essays received we especially commend those by the follow- 



