THE AMERICAN PIPIT. 207 



only in the coldest and most desolate of regions." Wheaton, writing from 

 Columbus as late as 1882, knows nothing of the breeding of this bird in Ohio. 

 He says, merely, "The Shore Lark breeds from New York and Wisconsin 

 northward * * During the breeding season the male is said to have a 

 short but pleasing song." 



No. 92. 



AMERICAN PIPIT. 



A. O. U. No. 697. Anthus pensilvanicus (Lath.). 



Synonyms. — American Titlark; Brown Lark. 



Description. — Adult in spring: Above soft and dark grayish brown witli 

 an olive shade; feathers of crown and back with darker centers; wings and tail 

 dusky with paler edging, the pale tips of coverts forming two indistinct bars; 

 outer pair of tail-feathers extensively white ; next pair white-tipped ; superciliary 

 line, eye-ring and under parts light grayish brown or buffy, the latter streaked 

 with dusky except on middle of throat and lower belly, — heavily on sides of 

 throat and across breast, narrowly on lower breast and sides. Winter plumage : 

 Above, browner ; below, duller buffy ; more broadly streaked on breast. Length 

 6.00-7.00 (152.4-177.8) ; wing 3.37 (85.6); tail 2.53 (64.3); bill .46 (11.7). 



Recognition Marks. — Sparrow size ; brown above ; buffy or brownish with 

 dusky spots below ; best known by tlip-yip notes repeated when rising from ground 

 or flying overhead. 



Nesting.^ — Does not breed in Ohio. Nest^ on the ground, loosely constructed 

 of grasses and moss. Bggs, 4-6, so heavily speckled and spotted with reddish 

 or dark brown as almost entirely to obscure the whitish ground color. Often, 

 except upon close examination, the effect is of a uniform chocolate-colored egg. 

 Av. size, .77 X .57 (19.6 X 14.5). 



General Range. — North America at large, breeding in the higher parts of 

 the Rocky and Cascade Mountains and in sub-Arctic regions ; wintering in the 

 Gulf States, Mexico, and Central America. Accidental in Europe. 



Range in Ohio. — Common during migrations. The spring movement is 

 more rapid, and so less frequently observed than that of the fall. 



THE American Pipit does not sustain the habitual dignity of the boreal 

 breed. He is no clown, indeed, like our Titmouse, nor does he quite belong 



