68 BIRDS OF ARKANSAS. 



moth Spring, where I saw one male on June 15 as I was driving over 

 the hills. I had a near view of his distinctive colors, but did not 

 secure the specimen. The .species arrives from the south in late 

 April and remains until October. 



Indigo Bunting*. Passerina cyanea. 



The indigo bird is an abundant summer resident in all parts of 

 the State. The first migrants from the south arrive about the 

 middle of April (earliest date at Helena, April 17) and by the 1st 

 of May the species is common. On the lowlands at Lake City and 

 near Blytheville I found it very common from April 30 to May 3. 

 The southward movement takes place in September and early Octo- 

 ber, and the winter is passed in Mexico and Central America. The 

 last one seen at Delight was noted October 10. The species has 

 been observed at Clinton, Pettigrew, Rich Mountain,. Wilmot, Big 

 Lake, Stuttgart, Conway, and Mammoth Spring. The indigo eats 

 mainly weed seeds and various insects, and is said to be especially 

 fond of grasshoppers and caterpillars. 



Painted Bunting. Passerina ciris. 



This beautiful little sparrow — the most brilliantly marked mem- 

 ber of its family — is a rather uncommon summer resident, occurring 

 most plentifully in the lowlands of the southeastern part of the State. 

 At Helena it breeds regularly in moderate numbers, arriving from 

 the south about the middle of April (earliest date, April 10). I saw 

 a pair at McGehee May 17, and found several breeding pairs at Wil- 

 mot in June. Young just out of the nest were seen at the latter 

 place June 24. This species has been observed at Eureka Springs 

 by Philo W. Smith, jr. — probably a casual occurrence. 1 



Dickcissel. Spiza americana. 



The dickcissel, or black-throated bunting, is a locally common sum- 

 mer resident in the State. Having a marked preference for level 

 grass fields, it is infrequently found in hilly regions, but is abundant 

 on the prairies, as at Stuttgart, where I observed the birds, May 11 

 to 14, singing with characteristic vehemence from fences, bushes, 

 and weed stalks. In the heavily timbered bottom lands along the 

 Mississippi it is rare, even as a migrant, and probably never breeds 

 there, unless it be in open, long-cultivated areas. It has been ob- 

 served but once by Mrs. Stephenson at Helena — May 4, 1902. Num- 

 bers arrived at Newport, April 27, 1884, 2 and on April 30, 1910, I 

 observed a single migrant at Lake City. One bird was observed 

 also at Fort Smith May 29, and one at Camden July 6. The fall 

 migration takes place mainly in September, and before cold weather 



i Widmann, 0., Birds of Missouri, p. 198, 1907. 



2 Cooke, W. W., Bull. 2, Div. Econ. Om., p. 221, 1888. 



