WARBLERS. 75 



but is nowhere common. This warbler is a typical woodland bird 

 and is most at home in tracts of heavy timber, where it renders 

 valuable service in the destruction of wood-boring insects, bark- 

 beetles, and other injurious insects. 



Prothonotary Warbler. Protonotaria citrea. 



The prothonotary or golden swamp warbler is a common summer 

 resident in the swamps and river bottoms of the southern and eastern 

 part of the State. It arrives from the south about the first of April 

 and departs in September. It is reported as breeding at Clinton, 

 Newport, and Helena. I found it common at Wilmot and along the 

 St. Francis Biver at Lake City. Several were seen at Camden in 

 July, one on Cadron River near Conway June 6, and one on White 

 River at Cotter June 8. It is numerous at Big Lake (McAtee, June, 

 1911). This brilliant little bird is a prominent and attractive feature 

 of the big swamps, where it may often be seen flitting lightly over 

 the water or prying into rotten stumps in search of insects, in securing 

 which it shows almost as much dexterity as a flycatcher. 



Swainson Warbler. Helinaia sivainsoni. 



This is another of the swamp-inhabiting warblers ; but, unlike the 

 prothonotary, is rare and very shy. It is an inhabitant of river- 

 bottom timber, where it seeks concealment among the canebrakes 

 and dense thickets of climbing vines, often remaining motionless 

 for many minutes as it repeats at frequent intervals its rather loud 

 and pleasing song. Although constantly on the alert for sight or 

 sound of this bird, I detected it in only three localities. One was 

 seen at Turrell May 8 and heard singing several times on succeeding 

 days. Another was seen and heard singing in the Cadron River 

 bottoms near Conway June 6, and several were noted at Camden 

 July 4-7. 



Worm-eating Warbler. Helmitheros vermivorus. 



This warbler is a rare and local summer resident, occurring, as far 

 as known, only in the mountains and foothills in the northern and 

 western part of the State. It is reported as breeding in the hills west 

 of Newport, and I saw two on Rich Mountain in Polk County May 25. 

 The latter locality probably marks the southern limit of its breeding 

 range. This bird bears a rather inappropriate name, since its food, 

 as far as known, consists not of worms but of beetles, spiders, and 

 ants. 



Bachman Warbler. Vermivora bachmani. 



This inconspicuous little warbler has a rather restricted range, 

 having been found in the breeding season only on the coast of South 

 Carolina and Georgia, in western Kentucky (near Russell ville), and 

 in the Sunken Lands of Arkansas and Missouri. The species was 



