58 BULLETIN 17 9, UNITED STATES NATIONAL IVIUSEUM 



For Minnesota, Dr. Thomas S. Roberts (1932) writes: "Three 

 pairs were found in the Big Stone-Traverse lakes region in June, 

 1879 by Franklin Benner and the writer, the first record for the 

 state; in 1889 it was found by Cantwell in Lac qui Parle County; 

 in 1893 it was present in Pipestone (Roberts) and Otter Tail 

 (Gault) counties and by 1898 had become a common nesting bird 

 all over southwestern Minnesota as far east as Redwood, Cottonwood, 

 and Jackson counties." Later on, it extended its range farther north 

 until it is "now an abundant summer resident throughout the western 

 prairie portion of the state"; and "it has increased rapidly and 

 spread eastward until in recent years it has reached the eastern 

 part of the state south of the evergreen forests." 



Arkansas kingbirds have been seen in summer and collected in 

 breeding condition in Michigan since 1925 (Van Tyne, 1933), indi- 

 cating an extension of range eastward from Minnesota. And now 

 comes a breeding record for Ohio. Louis W. Campbell (1934), 

 referring to a sight record in Lucas County in 1931, reports: "On 

 July 29, 1933, some three miles east of the location of the sight 

 record mentioned above I found a family of Arkansas kingbirds 

 consisting of one adult and three young. * * * Two of the 

 young, a male and a female, were collected. Although both of 

 these birds were well able to fly, all the tail feathers and all but 

 two or three of the primaries were still more than one-fourth 

 sheathed. The condition of these feathers and general lack of devel- 

 opment pointed to the conclusion that the birds had been out of the 

 nest only a short time." 



A similar eastward advance has been noted farther south around 

 the turn of the century in Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Swenk 

 and Dawson (1921) tell the story for Nebraska; and Mrs. Nice 

 (1931a) gives the records for Oklahoma. If this kingbird continues 

 to advance, it may yet reach x\.rkansas and its name may be justified. 



The Arkansas kingbird is a bird of the open country, associated 

 in my mind with the prairie regions of the Middle West, the ranches 

 and tree claims and the timber belts along the streams. In south- 

 western Saskatchewan, in 1905 and 1906, we found this kingbird 

 breeding commonly in such situations, but it was not so common in 

 the timber belts as the eastern kingbird and was more likely to be 

 seen about the ranch buildings and railroad stations. 



As to its haunts in Minnesota, Dr. Roberts (1932) says: "On the 

 prairies this bird avoids the natural groves of timber, seeking the 

 vicinity of habitations. Where there are no buildings on a tree- 

 claim or the farm is deserted it is rarely found, probably because 

 there is less insect food where there are no cattle. The bird invades 

 the towns everywhere and builds commonly in the shade trees even 



