78 THE BIOLOGY OF HARDING COUNTY 



mind with our most sultry days. The loud boom which 

 sounds as the long swoop earth-ward is ended is more fre- 

 quently heard in the early evening. 



The Nighthawk nests on flat stones or on the ground and the 

 eggs and young are so well protected by their coloration as 

 to be very difficult to find. 



The food of the nighthawks consists of insects of which 

 myriads are destroyed. As many as nearly 2,000 flying ants 

 have been taken at one time from the mouth and stomach 

 of a single bird. Since such food is digested very rapidly 

 the total number eaten must be enormous. 



White-throated Swift (Aeronantes inelanoleucus). Several pairs 

 nested on the high castellated buttes of Slim Buttes and a 

 few at the north end of the East Short Pine Hills. 



Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus). Nests sparingly, usually in box- 

 elder trees, wherever trees occur. The Kingbird is so well 

 known that it needs but scanty mention. In some parts of 

 the country it is called the bee-bird ; but the Biological Survey 

 after the examination of many stomachs has found that though 

 it sometimes catches honey bees, they are usually the large, 

 slow flying drones and not the valuable workers. Since ninety 

 per cent, of his food consists of insects, mostly of grass- 

 hoppers, crickets, butterflies, weevils, wild bees, wasps and 

 gadflies it is seen that the Kingbird is another of the 

 farmers' friends. 



The Kingbird is pugnacious and does not hesitate to attack 

 and drive away hawks and owls. It scarcely ever molests 

 birds smaller than itself. 



Arkansas Kingbird (Tyrannus rerticalis). Rare in the area un- 

 der discussion. One pair nested in the foothills of the Cave 

 Hills and two more in the extreme eastern and southeastern 

 portions of the county. Their favorite nesting site, a small 

 tree near a farm house on the plains, is almost lacking as 

 yet. 



Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya). Abundant summer resident wher- 

 ever cliffs occur. Therefore most numerous in the badlands. 



Western Wood Pewee (Myiochanes richardsoni richardsoni) . 

 Nests rarely in the forested parts of the high buttes. 



