You are looking at the HTML representation of the XML format.
HTML is good for debugging, but is unsuitable for application use.
Specify the format parameter to change the output format.
To see the non HTML representation of the XML format, set format=xml.
See the complete documentation, or API help for more information. 
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<api>
  <query-continue>
    <alllinks galcontinue="Eye_of_the_Tiger" />
  </query-continue>
  <query>
    <pages>
      <page ns="0" title="Elwyn Meader" missing="" />
      <page pageid="249" ns="0" title="Black Eyebrow" />
      <page pageid="33" ns="0" title="Blue Shackamaxon" />
      <page pageid="117" ns="0" title="Brown Tobacco Worm" />
      <page pageid="154" ns="0" title="Cherokee Wax" />
      <page pageid="156" ns="0" title="Comtesse de Chambord" />
      <page pageid="152" ns="0" title="Contender" />
      <page pageid="122" ns="0" title="Dixie Speckled Butterpea" />
      <page pageid="264" ns="0" title="Dixie White Butterpea" />
      <page pageid="201" ns="0" title="Express" />
    </pages>
  </query>
</api>