62 BIRDS OF ARKANSAS. 



Smith. Longspur. Calcarius pictiLS. 



This species breeds on the Barren Grounds of Canada and passes 



the winter on the prairies of the Mississippi Valley. There is only 



one record of its occurrence in Arkansas — a specimen collected by 



Prof. Harvey at Fayetteville February 28, 1885/ but the species is 



undoubtedly more common in the State than the scarcity of records 



indicates. 



Vesper Sparrow. Pocecetes gramineus. 



The vesper sparrow or grass finch occurs commonly in the lower 

 Mississippi Valley as a migrant and winter resident. Savage noted 

 its arrival at Delight October 25, and by November 4 it had become 

 common and remained so until about April 1. It has been reported 

 as a migrant at Clinton and as a breeder at Newport, 2 but the latter 

 record is doubtless an error, since it is not known to breed south of 

 St. Clair County, Mo. It is a ground-feeding bird, easily recognized 

 in flight by the white outer tail feathers. 



Savannah Sparrow. Passerculus sandwichensis savanna. 

 This little grass sparrow is a common migrant in both spring and 

 fall, and many remain in the State all winter. The fall migration 

 is performed mainly in October and November. The first birds 

 arrived from the north at Delight October 5, and by November 10 

 they had become common, remaining until the middle of May. I 

 saw 20 or more at Lake City April 29 and 30 and found them com- 

 mon on the prairie and along roadsides near Stuttgart May 11 to 14. 

 A belated migrant was seen at McGehee May 17. The Savannah is 

 one of the most useful of the sparrows. Nearly half its food consists 

 of insects, beetles being most eagerly sought, and in winter it con- 

 sumes large quantities of grass seeds and weed seeds. Individuals 

 taken in cotton fields in winter were found to have eaten a num- 

 ber of boll weevils. 



Grasshopper Sparrow. Ammodramus savannarum australis. 



The grasshopper sparrow, so called because of its insectlike song, 

 occurs probably as a rare or local summer resident, but on account 

 of its retiring habits its presence is not easily detected. It is a 

 dweller in grass fields and rarely seeks a higher perch than a fence or 

 a weed stalk. It is recorded as a breeder at Newport, and will 

 doubtless be found also at various points in the State in winter as 

 well as in summer. 



[Henslow Sparrow. Passerherbulus henslowi. 



This is another of the small ground-dwelling sparrows whose shyness causes it to 

 be easily overlooked. It lives in old fields and marshes and sings its odd little song on 

 some weed stalk. The species is a locally common summer resident in Missouri, and 

 will probably be found breeding in suitable situations in Arkansas.] 



i Cooke, W. W., Bull. 2, Div. Econ. Orn., p. 186, 1888. 2 ibid., p. 188. 



