[f. TIT sb.3 + LARK sb.1] A bird of the genus Anthus or some allied genus, resembling a lark; a pipit; esp. in England, the meadow pipit, A. pratensis, also called tit-pipit; in U.S., A. ludovicianus (American titlark).
1668. Charleton, Onomast., 81. Alauda Pratensis, the Tit-Lark.
1676. Grew, Musæum, Anat. Stomach & Guts, viii. 37. The House-Sparrow, Linnet, Titlark, and many more.
1773. G. White, Selborne, xxxix. Titlarks not only sing sweetly as they sit on trees, but also as they play and toy about on the wing.
1872. Coues, N. Amer. Birds, 90. Titlarks … are terrestrial and more or less gregarious birds, migratory and insectivorous.
b. slang. (See quot.)
1799. in Spirit Pub. Jrnls., III. 352. Found the beaks and titlarks reading the papers. Ibid., 355. Glossary of fashionable or cant Phrases…. Titlarks, spectators at Bow Street.
