470 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



migration it is exceedingly abundant on the mud flats and marshes of the 

 central lake region and the shores of the Great Lakes, as well as along the 

 larger rivers and on the coast of Long Island, occurring in the same localities 

 as the Pectoral and Red-backed sandpipers. 



Haunts and habits. When disturbed, the pipits rise with an easy- 

 undulating flight, uttering a soft dee-dee, mounting high in the air and hover- 

 ing about over the marshes, sometimes returning to within a few feet of 

 the intruder. They walk about or run hurriedly over the muddy and 

 sandy shores in search of aquatic insects and seeds which are left by the 

 receding water. In the spring, when the flats of western New York are 

 usually flooded with water, the Pipit occurs mostly on plowed fields and 

 burned tracts, and even on the hilltops. I have noticed the spring speci- 

 :mens are of a much more grayish cast above and of a lighter shade on the 

 ■under parts than the fall specimens. 



Family 1VII1VIIDA.B 



Thrashers 



Wing short and rounded; lo primaries; tail large, long and rounded; 

 hill slender, usually more or less curved, about equal to the head in length; 

 rictus bristled ; tarsus equal in length to the middle toe with its claw, the 

 toes deeply cleft; size medium; colors rather sober grays and browns. 



Thrashers are closely related to the wrens and are fully as melodious in 

 voice, some of them often surpassing the thrushes in this respect, especially 

 our world-famous Mockingbird which is regarded by some as the best 

 songster of the world. They frequent low growth and shrubbery and 

 often seek their food upon the ground. They are largely insectivorous, 

 but resort more than the wrens to a diet of fruit in its season. The family 

 is exclusively American and numbers about 40 species, more southerly 

 in distribution than the wrens, barely reaching beyond the upper austral 

 zone. They are only slightly less nervous and spritely in habits than the 

 wrens, continually bobbing about or pumping their tails, which has given 

 them the family name of Thrasher. The nests are bulky and constructed 



