North American Birds EtiGS. 



309 



^j:w- 



IWhitf.J 



WAGTAILS. Family MOTACILLID>E. 



[694.] White Wagtail. Motdcillii nibii. 



Kange.— An Old World species; accidental in Greenland. 



These birds are ahnndant throughnut Europe, nesting on 

 the ground, in stone walls, or in the crevices of old buildings, 

 etc., the nests being made of grass, rootlets, leaves, etc.; the 

 eggs are grayish white, finely specked with blackish gray. 

 Size .75 X .55. 

 [695.] Swinhoe Wagtail. .MatniiUti ticiihirin. 



Range. — Eastern Asia; accidental in Lower California and probably Alaska. 



696. Siberian Yellow Wagtail. HudijtcH finvus leurastriattiN. 



Range. — Eastern Asia; aliundant on the Bering Sea coast of Alaska in the 

 summer. 



These handsome Wagtails are common in summer on the coasts 

 . -. ■ and islands of Bering Sea, nesting on the ground under tufts of 



grass or beside stones, usuallj- in marshy ground. Their eggs 

 number from four to six anil are white, profusely spotted with 

 various shades of brown and gray. Size .75 x .55. Data. — Kam- 

 chatka, June 20, 18!l(). Nest on the ground; made of tine root- 

 White 1 lets, grass and moss, lined neatly with animal fur. 



697. American Pipit; Titlark. A iithuK pciisilvfuiiciiti. 



Range. — North America, breeding in the Arctic regions, and in the Rocky 

 Mountains south to Colorado, winters in southern Tnited Stales and southward". 



The Titlarks are abundant birds in the I'nited States during 

 migrations, being found in Hocks in tields and cultivated 

 ground. Their nests, which are placed on the ground in 

 meadows or marshes under tufts of grass, are matle of moss 

 and grasses; the four to six eggs are dark gjayish, heavily 

 spotted and blotched with brown and blackish. Size .75 x .55. 



liray.l 

 [698.] Meadow Pipit. A nihus jiratcnsi.s. 



Range. — Whole of Europe: accidental in Greenland. 



This species is similar to the American Pipit and like that 

 the ground; they are very abundant and are fountl in meadows, 

 ets in the vicinity of houses. Their nests are made chielly 

 with hair: the eggs are from four to six in numlier and are grayi 

 ly spotted and lilotched with grayish brown. Size .78 x .58. 



[699.] Red-throated Pipit. A nthus rcrfiiiu.'i. 



Range. — An Gld World species; accidental in the Aleutians and Lower Cali- 

 fornia. 



The nesting habits of this bird are like tliose of the others of the genus. 



700. Sprague Pipit. A iithiif: sprngticii. 



Range. — Interior of North America, breeding from Wyoming north to Sas- 

 katchewan. Winters in the plains of ^lexico. 



These birds are common on the prairies and breed al)und- 

 antly on the plains of the interior of northern United States 

 and Manitoba. They have a flight song which is said to be 

 fully equal to that of the famous European Skylark. They 

 nest on the ground under tufts of grass or up-turned sods, 

 lining the hollow with fine grasses; their three or four eggs 

 are grayish white, finely specked with grayish black or pur- 

 X .60. Data. — Crescent Lake, Canada. Nest of tine dried 

 grasses, built in the ground at the side of a sod. Collector, Walter Raine. 



species nests on 



woi)ds or thick- 



of grasses, lined 



h, very heavi- 



|(irayish white, 

 plish. Size .85 



IW/T 



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