AVOCETS AND SNIPES. 29 



feeder, living upon a variety of aquatic plants and seeds. It is said 

 to be especially fond of wild celery, and when feeding upon that plant 

 its flesh takes on a delicate flavor and is considered by many equal to 

 that of most ducks. 



Avocet. Recurvirostra americana. 



This is a bird of the plains, breeding from northern Texas to 

 Alberta. Since it has several times been observed in Missouri, it 

 probably visits Arkansas occasionally in migration. Cabot records 

 a specimen taken in the State, donated to the Boston Society of Nat- 

 ural History by Maj. Townsend. 1 



Woodcock. Philohela minor. 



The woodcock is still fairly common in Arkansas, occurring in both 



winter and summer. It is recorded as breeding at Fayetteville, where 



one was seen canying its young, April 1, 1882, 2 and at Clinton and 



Newport (rare). Hollister reports it common in January and 



November at Stuttgart and Harvey says it occurs at Fayetteville 



during open winters. This fine game bird is rapidly diminishing in 



numbers over a large part of its range. Unfortunately, it is not 



protected by the laws of Arkansas and may be shot at any time. 



Under such conditions its early extermination in the State seems 



assured. 



Wilson Snipe. Gallinago delicata. 



This popular game bird, known usually as "jack snipe/' is a com- 

 mon migrant and winter resident. The first fall migrants arrive from 

 the north in September, and the birds become plentiful during 

 October. They are usually common throughout the winter in the 

 lower parts of the State, as on the Grand Prairie around Stuttgart, 

 where Hollister found them numerous in January, and at Van Buren, 

 where Hanna took one and saw a number of others December 29. 

 Harvey reports them as occurring in open winters at Fayetteville, 3 

 and a writer in the American Field speaks of their occurrence in 

 December near Alma, Crawford County. 4 In spring most of them 

 pass north between the middle of March and the middle of April. As 

 this species is afforded no protection by the laws of Arkansas, its 

 numbers are decreasing year by year. 



[Long-billed Dowitcher. Macrorhamphus griseus scolopaceus. 



Dowitehers, often called red-breasted snipe, were formerly common in migration 

 throughout the Mississippi Valley, but like most of the shore birds they have in recent 

 years become rare. This species undoubtedly occurred formerly and perhaps still 

 occurs in Arkansas.] 



» Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., II, p. 259, 1847. 



2 Harvey, Amer. Nat., XVI, p. 737, 1882. 



3 Am. Nat., XVII, p. 737, 1882. 



* "Old-Timer," Am. Field, LII, p. 181, 1899. 



