Widmann— A Preliminary Catalog of the Birds of Missouri, 243 



but very exceptionally as early as April 20, 1896, when even 

 the bulk arrived April 25 (E. S. Currier). Along our western 

 border we have the following dates: Vernon Co., April 24, 

 1898; Independence, April 27, 1900, and April 30, 1899; Leaven- 

 worth, Audubon, May 4, 1843. Fall migration takes place 

 from the middle of August to the end of September, but song 

 is seldom heard after August 25, and young birds predominate 

 in September, though the very last bird seen may be an old 

 male. Last date at St. Louis, October 5, 1906 (a family, adults 

 and young together); Shannon Co., October 10, 1904; Keokuk, 

 October 20, 1900. 



Family Motacillidae. Wagtails. 

 697. Anthus pensilvanicus (Lath.) . American Pipit. 



Anthus ludovicianus. Alauda rufa. Anthus spinolelta. Anthus aquaticus. 

 Anthus pipiens. Titlark. 



Geog. Dist. — North America, north to Greenland, Alaska 

 and northeastern Siberia. Breeds from Newfoundland, Quebec, 

 high mountains of Colorado and the Sierra Nevada northward 

 and winters from the Gulf States through Mexico to Guatemala. 



In Missouri a fairly common transient visitant in April and 

 October, moving in flocks of from thirty to one hundred or more, 

 frequenting plowed fields and burnt-over marshes, and re- 

 maining sometimes several weeks in the same locality. It is 

 not known to winter anywhere in the state, but lingers some 

 years much longer than in others as for instance in 1892, when 

 Mr. Currier met with some as late as December 11, near Keokuk, 

 la. That the southward movement of the Titlarks was excep- 

 tionally much protracted in 1892 is also shown by Mr. R. Deane, 

 who found hundreds of them in the marshes at English Lake 

 in northwestern Indiana, November 16, and by a late report 

 from Michigan, October 20, near Detroit. 



700. Anthus spragueii (Aud.). Sprague's Pipit. 



Alauda spragueii. Neocorys spraguei. Missouri Skylark. 



Geog. Dist. — In summer from eastern Montana and northern 

 North Dakota northward, chiefly on the virgin prairies of Assin- 

 iboia; east rarely to Red River Valley and Manitoba. In winter 

 to southern Louisiana and Texas, south through eastern Mexico 

 to Vera Cruz and Puebla. Occasional to South Carolina. In 



