84 BIBDS Oy A»KAMS>AS. 



birds— belated migrants— at Lake (."ity. April Jl). aiul Haima col- 

 lected 5 sptvimeus fruui a flock of iV> at Van Bxiren on December -M. 

 The food of the pipit is largely inseotivoivus. It sooins to bo osjhw 

 cially fond of weevils and h»»s been foxuid to be an ini^wrtant enemy of 

 the boll weevil, lai-ge numbers of which it ilestnns in winter and 

 spring. On the farm pipits often follow the i^owmau and pick np 

 larvie of ground beetles, weevils, and other insects. 



Sprague Pipit. Anthui 4ifiraguei. 



This is a western species, occurring regularly in migration as far 

 east as eastern Nebiaska and Oklahoma. Theiv is one i^econl from 

 Ai'k«msas publislunl many yeaj's ago by Dr. Elliott (.\Mies, who quotes 

 from a letter received fi-om Mr. Howard Avers and dated Kort Smith, 

 February 20, 1S70, in wliich the writer states that this bin! appears 

 in that vicinity about Xovembei- in small flocks and later in im- 

 mense nvunbers, mingling wit]\ Lapland longsp\U"s and wmaining 

 imtil February.' It seems highly pi-obable, however, that this ob- 

 server was in part mistaken, and that many, if not most, of the pipits 

 seen were the common species (Anihus riihi.ictn^'i). 



Moddng Bird. Miniiis ;H>/j/i//(>«ivf. 



The mocking bird, one of the best-known birds in the State, is a com- 

 mon jvnd generally distributed permanent resident. It is essentially 

 a bird of cultivateil regions, and is rall\er micommon in heavily lim- 

 bei-ed regions and in the ]\igher mountains. None were seen on Kich 

 Moimtain, although they were munerous in the valley annmd Mena. 

 At Pettigrew the bird was scarce and at Mammoth Spring rather \m- 

 common, but at all other places -visited, including Lake City, Conway, 

 Stuttgart, "Wilmot, Camden, and Womble, it was abunilant. At 

 Clinton it is reported as a rare breeder in the \ alloys. Tn winter it is 

 reported common at Stuttgart Olollister'), and Van Buren (llaima). 

 This bu'd is sometimes ilestructive to grafies, ligs, and other small 

 fi'uita. On the other hantl, it renders good service by destroying 

 noxious insects, sucb as grassho[>pei-s, crickets, catori)illai"s, beetles, 

 cutworms, cotton worms, and boll weevils. Its food includes also 

 various sectls and wild berries, including the seeds of dogwood, 

 hackberry, red cedar, holly, aaul pokeberry. 



Catbird. I>timfl<llii itim/i'miiA-w, 



The catbird is a common snmnun- resident ov<>r the greater part of 

 the State. T( was not observed on Kich Mountain, but at Pelligrew, 

 in the OzjU'ks, it is fairly common. It is report ml as breeding also at 

 Pea Kidge, Clinton, Newport, and Helena. 1 foinul it mmieroiis at 

 Mtmimoth Spring, Tnrrell, Wilmol, Camden, and Delight, Tho 



1 Hull, Null, Oin, riiil', tV, p. U.-W, isrii. 



