86 THE BIOLOGY OF HARDING COUNTY 



Western Yellow-throat (Gcothlypis trichas occidentals). Breeds 

 commonly along the permanent streams. 



Long-tailed Chat (Icteria inrens longicauda) . Nested abundantly 

 in the most wooded portions of the Little Missouri floodplain. 



Wilson's Warbler (Wilsonia pnsilla). An abundant migrant, ar- 

 riving August 19. 



Redstart (Selophaga ruticilla). Several pairs nested in the Slim 

 Buttes in 1911. Common along the Little Missouri River in 

 September, 1912. 



Sprague's Pipit (Anthus spraguei). Common breeder on the 

 grassy plains of the northeastern part D the country. Abund- 

 ant migrant. The call, che,che, is then frequently heard. 



Western Mockingbird (Miuiits polvglottos Icucoptcrns) An in- 

 dividual was closely observed by W. H. Over of Date near 

 Rabbit Butte, Perkins County, on August 12, 1912. Mr. 

 Over is familiar with this species and I do not doubt the 

 accuracy of the record which extends its range from the 

 southern Black Hills. 



Catbird (Dnmctella carolinensis). Not common during the sum- 

 mer, in the groves along the streams. 



Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufnui). More numerous than the 

 preceding, in similar situations. 



Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus}. Breeds abundantly wherever 

 steppe slopes with crevices occur. Hence especially noticeable 

 in badlands and on the cliffs of the steep-sided buttes. 



Western House Wren (Troglodytes aedcn parkmani). Nests 

 abundantly in the more wooded portions of the Little Mis- 

 souri Valley and in the pine forests of the high buttes. 



The House wren is as energetic a little bird as you could 

 want. They are all the time on the go. They sing with all their 

 might. Their notes fairly tumble over each other, they are 

 poured out so fast. At times the little musicians become so 

 ecstatic that they raise their quivering wings high over their 

 backs. 



The food of the wren is almost entirely insects. "Half 

 of the food consists of grasshoppers and beetles and the 

 other half is made up of almost equal quantities of cater- 

 pillars, bugs, and spiders." 



