52 BIRDS OF ARKANSAS. 



Florida Nigb.th.awk. Chordeiles virginianus chapmani. 



The occurrence of this southern form of the nighthawk in Arkansas 



was unknown until I secured a typical specimen at Stuttgart, May 12, 



1910. The subspecies probably breeds in favorable localities in the 



southern part of the State. It was observed in small numbers on the 



Grand Prairie around Stuttgart, and one was seen at Eldorado 



July 3. 



Chimney Swift. Chsetura pelagica. 



This bird, commonly known as ''chimney swallow," or " chimney 

 sweep," is one of the most abundant species in the State and is found 

 in practically all localities. From their winter home south of the 

 United States the first ones arrive about the last of March (earliest 

 at Helena, March 21; average, March 25) and remain until October 

 (last seen at Helena, October 19). 



As is well known, their ordinary breeding places are in unused 

 chimneys, but in thinly settled districts a few may still retain their 

 ancient habit of nesting in hollow trees. Pleas, in 1890, stated that 

 such situations were used by the swifts at Clinton, Ark., and more 

 recently Widmann has recorded their use of hollow tupelo gums in 

 the swamps of southeastern Missouri. 1 In the fall, just prior to the 

 southward migration, large numbers of swifts often gather into a 

 flock and roost by thousands in some large chimney. 



Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Archilochus colubris. 



This tiny hummingbird is a common summer resident in most 

 parts of Arkansas. The earliest date of its arrival at Helena is March 

 31 (average, April 9) and it remains until October (average, October 6; 

 latest, October 8). At Delight it was seen as late as October 25. 

 Hummingbirds readily adapt themselves to civilized surroundings 

 and are often seen in town and city gardens, but are equally at home 

 in the depths of the wilderness. I observed them frequently on 

 Rich Mountain from base to summit and found them also in the 

 timbered bottoms at Turrell and McGehee. They are reported as 

 breeding at Pea Ridge, Clinton, Pettigrew, Mammoth Spring, Big 

 Lake, and Delight. 



Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Muscivoraforficata. 



This handsome flycatcher is a summer resident of the prairies from 

 Kansas to southern Texas. Its range extends east to eastern Okla- 

 homa and casually to Arkansas. Bendire, in giving its distribution, 

 says: "Occasional in * * * western Arkansas" and, although 

 no definite locality is given, this statement doubtless refers to the 

 region about Fort Smith, where Capt. Bendire was stationed in 1860. 

 On May 28, 1910, I saw from the train one of these birds a little south 

 of Spiro, Okla., about 10 miles west of the Arkansas boundary. 



i Birds of Missouri, p. 132, 1907. 



