is similar to the American Pipit and like that species
nests on the ground; they are very abundant and are found in meadows,
woods or thickets in the vicinity of houses. Their nests are made
chiefly of grasses, lined with hair; the eggs are from four to six in
number and are grayish, very heavily spotted and blotched with grayish
brown. Size .78 x .58.

[Illustration 420: White.]
[Illustration: White.]
[Illustration: American Pipit. Sprague's Pipit.]
[Illustration: Gray.]
[Illustration: left hand margin.]

Page 419

699. RED-THROATED PIPIT. _Anthus cervinus._

Range.--An Old World species; accidental in the Aleutians and Lower
California.

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

700. SPRAGUE'S PIPIT. _Anthus spraguei._

Range.--Interior of North America, breeding from Wyoming north to
Saskatchewan. Winters in the plains of Mexico.

These birds are common on the prairies and breed abundantly 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 purplish.
Size .85 x .60. Data.--Crescent Lake, Canada. Nest of fine dried
grasses, built in the ground at the side of a sod.

DIPPERS. Family CINCLIDAE

701. DIPPER. _Cinclus mexicanus unicolor._

Range.--Mountains of western North America from Alaska to Central
America.

These short-tailed, grayish colored birds are among the strangest of
feathered creatures; they frequent the sides of mountain streams where
they feed upon aquatic insects and small fish. Although they do not have
webbed feet, they swim on or under water with the greatest of ease and
rapidity, using their wings as paddles. They have a thrush-like bill and
the teetering habits of the Sandpiper, and they are said to be one of
the sweetest of songsters. They nest among the rocks along the banks of
swiftly flowing streams, and sometimes beneath falls; the nests are
large round structures of green moss, lined with fine grass and with the
entrance on the side. The eggs are pure white, four or five in number,
and laid during May or June. Size 1.00 x .70.

WRENS, THRASHERS, ETC. Family TROGLODYTIDAE

702. SAGE THRASHER. _Oreoscoptes montanus._

Range.--Plains and valle