FINCHES AND SPARROWS, 61 



dates between January 21 and April 23 and is given as a winter visit- 

 ant at Clinton. Hanna collected 6 specimens at Van Buren between 

 November 29 and December 22. Purple finches are usually found 

 in flocks during the winter season, when they feed largely on the 

 buds and seeds of various trees. 



Crossbill. Loxia curvirostra minor. 



The red crossbill is a rare and irregular visitant in Arkansas. It 

 has twice been reported from Clinton — April 6, 1889 (in numbers), 

 and May 5, 1890 (one), these being the only records from the State. 



Goldfinch. Astragalinus tristis. 



The goldfinch, often called "wild canary" or " thistle bird," is an 

 abundant winter resident in all parts of the State and a fairly com- 

 mon summer resident in the north central and northwestern counties, 

 south in the mountains to Polk and Montgomery Counties. It is 

 reported as breeding at Clinton, and I found it at Womble (May 22), 

 Kich Mountain (May 25-28), Pettigrew (May 30), Chester (June 4), 

 and Hoxie (June 22). It was noted by Preble as common at Fayette- 

 ville in September. Savage reports a flock of 20 seen at Delight 

 November 19, and Hanna found it numerous at Van Buren between 

 November 30 and December 17. Mrs. Stephenson reports its occur- 

 rence at Helena between September 8 and May 1, and states that 

 immense flocks are often seen there during April and May and in 

 November. In winter the goldfinch feeds largely on weed seeds, the 

 seeds of birches, and those of the buttonbush. In summer it sub- 

 sists to a large extent on weed seed, but destroys many noxious 

 insects, such as cankerworms, plant lice, small grasshoppers, and 



beetles (Forbush). 



[Pine Siskin. Spinus pinus. 



The siskin occurs in winter over most of the United States, and may therefore be 

 looked for at that season in Arkansas. It was rather common in Shannon and Grandin 

 Counties, Mo., in April and May, 1907. 2 ] 



Lapland Longspur. Calcarius lapponicus. 



This Arctic-breeding bird is a common winter resident in the 

 Mississippi Valley as far south as Arkansas and Texas. Mr. Howard 

 Ayers, writing from Fort Smith in 1879, states: "They [the long- 

 spurs] appear in this part of the State about November in small 

 flocks, but as it grows cold t\ey collect in immense numbers and 

 scatter again as spring comes (about 1st of February)." 2 The 

 species is reported also as a rare visitor at Clinton, where it was 

 seen October 13, 1889, and February 4 and April 30, 1890. During 

 the winter of 1882-1883 it was abundant at Fayetteville. 3 



1 Widmann, O., Birds of Missouri, p. 171, 1907. 



2 Coues, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, IV, p. 238, 1879. 



3 Cooke, W. W., Orn. and Ool., VIII, p. 34, 1883. 



