Notes on the Winter Birds of Arkansas. 1 1 



Except for Grand Prairie itself, the country included is 

 well watered, being crossed or bordered by the Arkansas 

 and White rivers, Big and Little LaGrue and Bayou Meto, 

 all of which are fed by many a creek and bayou of varying 

 size. During our first visit in January, 1899, we were blest 

 with rather an oversupply of dampness. The rainfall 

 throughout our stay was something terrific, and after a 

 week's soaking in camp on the White River, near Crockett's 

 Bluff, during which time the rain did not cease for a single 

 hour, we were driven back to town and had to content our- 

 selves with short drives from Stuttgart, where we had made 

 our headquarters. During the two latter trips, however, the 

 weather was simply perfect and we enjoyed many little ex- 

 cursions from town in all directions, of from one to four or 

 five days' duration. 



Most of the following ornithological observations were 

 made in Arkansas county, but several times we made trips 

 extending north into Prairie and Lonoke counties. Nothing 

 one could possibly say would begin to overrate the kindness, 

 hospitality, and attention the residents of this district ex- 

 tended to us — perfect strangers as we were. Southern hos- 

 pitality is proverbial, and no visitor to the prairie regions of 

 Arkansas will find reason to have his faith in it lessened in 

 the least. 



Although the number of species found here at this season 

 of the year is, of course, not large, it must not be imagined 

 that in the list as here given any attempt at completeness 

 is considered. 



Anas boschas. Mallard. Very abundant. The mal- 

 lard is the wild duck of this country and, if the rainfall is 

 sufficient, is everywhere. They fly in and out among the 

 trees, alighting in the timber wherever the water remains on 

 the ground, and feed on the "mast" (soaked acorns, etc.), 

 which supplies them with an abundance of food. In Janu- 

 ary they were all very thin — so much so that they were 

 really unfit to shoot. At that time I noted a bunch, on the 

 depot platform, of fourteen dozen birds, the result of one 



