Brown, Olive or Grayish Brown, and Brown and Gray Sparrowy Birds 
victims might be slaughtered annually to tickle the palates of the 
epicure. It is a mystery what they find to fatten upon when 
snow covers the frozen ground. Even in the severe midwinter 
storms they will not seek the protection of the woods, but always 
prefer sandy dunes with their scrubby undergrowth or open 
meadow lands. Occasionally a small flock wanders toward the 
farms to pick up seeds that are blown from the hayricks or scat- 
tered about the barn-yard by overfed domestic fowls. 
The Prairie Horned Lark (Ofocoris alpestris praticola) is 
similar to the preceding, but a trifle smaller and paler, with a 
white instead of a yellow streak above the eye, the throat yellow- 
ish or entirely white instead of sulphur-yellow, and other minor 
differences. It has a far more southerly range, confined to north- 
ern portions of the United States from the Mississippi eastward. 
Once a distinctly prairie bird, it now roams wherever large 
stretches of open country that suit its purposes are cleared in the 
East, and remains resident. This species also sings in midair on 
the wing, but its song is a crude, half-inarticulate affair, barely 
audible from a height of two hundred feet. 
American Pipit 
(Anthus pensilvanicus) Wagtail family 
Called also: TITLARK; BROWN OR RED LARK 
Length—6.38 to 7 inches. About the size of a sparrow. 
Male and Female—Upper parts brown; wings and tail dark olive- 
brown; the wing coverts tipped with buff or whitish, and 
ends of outer tail feathers white, conspicuous in flight. 
White or yellowish eye-ring, and line above the eye. Un- 
derneath light buff brown, with spots on breast and sides, 
the under parts being washed with brown of various shades. 
Feet brown. Hind toe-nail as long as or longer than the 
toe. 
Range—North America at large. Winters south of Virginia to 
Mexico and beyond. 
Migrations—April. October or November. Common in the 
United States, chiefly during the migrations. 
The color of this bird varies slightly with age and sex, the 
under parts ranging from white through pale rosy brown to a 
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