GEESE AND SWANS. 



23 



probably the extreme southern limit of this bird's breeding range 

 in the Mississippi Valley, its principal summer home being in the 

 interior of Canada. Migrating geese begin to arrive by the last of 

 September (earliest seen at Helena, September 26) and are present 

 in varying numbers until late March or early April. 



Audubon found wild geese abundant on the Arkansas River in 

 winter! a^d Holhster records their occurrence on the Grand Prairie 

 about Stuttgart at the same season. McAtee found them abundant 

 at Menasha Lake November 22-24, and C. E. Brewster saw several 

 bunches, numbering about 75 in all, at Turrell December 20, 1910. 

 The species has been reported in migration from Osceola, Little 

 River, Monticello, and FayetteviUe.. 



The food of the wild goose includes a variety of wild plants, such 

 as grass wrack {Zostera), wUd rice, arrowhead, sedges, and marsh 

 grasses. Sprouting grain, including wheat, com, barley, and oats, 

 is a favorite food and the birds sometimes cause much damage by 

 destroying the roots of grain. They frequently eat wild berries, as 

 well as insects, crustaceans, small clams, and snails. 



Hutchins Goose. Branta canadensis hutchinsi. 



This small form of the wild goose is probably a fairly common 

 migrant and wiater resident. The only record at hand is that by 

 Hollister, who saw two birds at Stuttgart in 1899.^ 



A goose weighing only about 3 pounds, shot at Mud Lake, St. 



Francis County, early in November, 1910, was probably of this 



subspecies. 



[Whistling Swan. Olor columbianus. 



This speciea is a rare migrant in the Mississippi Valley, and is found locally in 

 winter from Illinois to Louisiana and Texas. It doubtless occurs occasionally in 

 Arkansas.] 



Trumpeter Swan. Olor buccinator. 



The trumpeter swan is the species usually found in the Mississippi 

 Valley in migration. Audubon reported it as visiting the Arkansas 

 River annually, and he shot a specimen on a lake near the mouth of 

 that river. ^ Large flocks of swans, probably of this species, were 

 seen flying north at Helena, April 29, 1890, and April 20, 1891 

 (Stephenson). The bird is occasionally seen at Mud Lake, but in 

 recent years has become very rare in the State. 



Wood Ibis. Mycteria americana. 



This large, storkhke bird, often called "gourdhead," is a regular 

 summer visitant in many parts of the State. It apparently does not 

 nest in Arkansas, but wanders northward in July or August from its 

 breeding grounds in the Gulf States. On July 7, 1910, I saw six in 



1 Birds of Amer., VI, p. 178, 1843. s Om. Biog., rv, pp. 537-638, 1838. 



2 Wilson Bull., IX, p. 12, 1902. 



