60 BIRDS OF ARKANSAS. 



Bronzed Grackle. Quiscalus quiscula seneus. 



The crow blackbird, as this species is often called, is common over 

 a large part of the State, particularly in the bottom lands of the eastern 

 half and in certain valleys of the western part. None were seen in 

 the mountains proper. It is reported as breeding at Clinton, New- 

 port, Helena, and Hopefield, and was noted as common at Fayette- 

 ville in March and September (probably breeding). Several flocks 

 were seen at Van Buren in December (Hanna) and a large flock at 

 Delight on February 2 (Savage, 1911). I found it common and 

 breeding at Mammoth Spring, Lake City, Turrell, Conway, and Wil- 

 mot. McAtee found it abundant at Big Lake June 20 to 23, 1911. 

 The adults were feeding well-grown young and were alert in seizing 

 minnows which sprang upon the banks to escape larger fishes. At 

 Helena it is common both summer and winter, and after the breeding 

 season large flocks are often seen flying to and from their roosts. The 

 diet of this bird includes both animal matter (insects) and vegetable 

 matter in the proportion of about 30 per cent of the former to 70 per 

 cent of the latter. The vegetable matter consists mainly of corn, with a 

 little other grain and considerable mast. A good share of the corn 

 is waste picked up in the fields, but thegrackles are sometimes destruc- 

 tive to corn in the ear. Among the insects eaten are grasshoppers 

 and various beetles, including the boll weevil. 



English Sparrow. Passer domesticus. 



The English sparrow is said to have been introduced at Hot Springs' 

 between 1876 and 1880, but prior to this (in 1871) it had been intro- 

 duced into Memphis, Tenn., and doubtless spread first into Arkansas 

 from that point, so that by the end of the year 1886 it had established 

 itself over a considerable area in the northeastern part of the State, 

 with a few isolated colonies in the western part. Here, as every- 

 where in America, it has increased with amazing rapidity and is now 

 found in practically every town and village in the State, as well as on 

 a great majority of the farms. Almost everywhere it is regarded as 

 a pest by reason of its destruction of grain, fruit, and garden vege- 

 tables, its defacement of public buildings and of dwelling houses, and 

 its habit of driving away native birds. At times it feeds to some 

 extent on insects, but its destruction of them compensates to only a 

 slight degree for the damage it does, and hence its destruction is 

 advocated in a circular issued by the Biological Survey describing 

 the best methods of ridding localities of this feathered nuisance. 



Purple Finch. Carpodacus purpureas. 



The purple finch is a regular and not uncommon migrant and winter 

 resident. In 1910 the first flock, numbering about 20, arrived at 

 Delight November 10 and in a few days the species became common, 

 remaining so all winter. It has been reported at Helena at various 



