SPARKOWS. 63 



Leconte Sparrow. Passerherbulus lecontei. 



This species probably occurs quite regularly as a migrant and 

 winter resident, but, like the other ground-dwelling sparrows, its 

 presence in a locality is often unsuspected. One specimen was taken 

 at Fayetteville by Prof. Harvey February 28, 1885, 1 and 2 at Van 

 Buren by Mr. G. Dallas Hanna January 7, 1911. About 8 were seen 

 on the latter date in a pasture where the grass was half knee high. 



Nelson Sparrow. Passerherbulus nelsoni. 



This sparrow breeds in Canada and the Dakotas and migrates 

 through the Mississippi Valley in spring and fall. It is a marsh- 

 dwelling bird and even in migration resorts to wet meadows. I saw 

 one on the prairie near Stuttgart May 14 and several in the valley at 

 Mena May 24, when I secured a specimen. These are the only 

 records from the State. 



Lark Sparrow. Chondestcs grammacus. 



Although occurring in various parts of the State, this species can 

 not be called common as a summer resident except in a few localities, 

 but as a migrant it may at times be plentiful. Its winter home is 

 mainly south of the United States. It is reported as a common 

 breeder at Delight, Pike County, arriving from the south April 8 and 

 leaving by September 17. I found it fairly common at Mammoth 

 Spring in June and noted it in small numbers at Lake City (May 1 — 

 probably migrants), Conway, Camden, and Eldorado. At Helena 

 it is rare, and Mrs. Stephenson has noted it only twice, April 14, 1904, 

 and April 23, 1905. It was seen at Clinton, April 23, 1890. The 

 food of this sparrow is made up of seeds of weeds, grasses, and grain, 

 with about 27 per cent of insects. It is considered to be one of the 

 most valuable of the sparrows as a destroyer of grasshoppers. 



Harris Sparrow. Zonotrichia querula. 



This sparrow is a common migrant in western Missouri, eastern 

 Kansas, and Oklahoma, and probably occurs regularly in western 

 Arkansas. The only record from the State, however, is that furnished 

 by Mr. G. Dallas Hanna, who collected a specimen at Van Buren on 

 January 7, 1911. 



White-crowned Sparrow. Zonotrichia leucophrys leucophrys. 



The whitecrown is an abundant migrant and an uncommon winter 

 resident. Migrants reach the State in the fall from their northern 

 home about the last of October, and in spring the migratory move- 

 ments extend from March to the middle of May. 



i Cooke, W. W., Bull. 2, Div, Econ. Orn., p. 191, 1888. 



