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DEHPARTIMENT OF THE INTHRIOR
4 BULLETIN el
\
Tae UNITED STATES
GHOLOGICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL SURVEY
THE TERRITORIES.
F. V. HAYDEN,
U.S. GEOLOGIST-IN-CHARGH.
1878. MEARNS COLLECTION VOLUME IV. \4AAacd WASHINGTON:
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
VEU YAWOREAT
eee iy, <3 - \st sot
PREFATORY NOTE.
U. 8S. GEOLOGICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES, Washington, November 30, 1878.
Bulletin No. 4, series of 1878, completes Volume IV ;. and with this number are issued index, title-page, table of contents, list of illustra- tions, &c., for the whole volume. The separately published numbers should be preserved for binding, as there is no issue of the Bulletins in bound volumes from this office, and as back numbers cannot always be. supplied to complete deficient files.
In concluding the fourth volume of Bulletins, a word regarding the origin and progress of this publication will not be out of place. The issue began in 1874, when it was found desirable to establish more ready means of communication with the public and with scientific bodies than the regular Reports of the Survey afforded; the design being to publish,
- without the delay incident to the appearance of more elaborate and extended articles, such new or specially interesting matter as should be contributed to the general results of the Explorations under my charge . by the members or the collaborators of the Survey. The practical im- portance of prompt measures in such cases is well recognized, and sufficiently attested by the success which the Bulletins have achieved.
The Firstand Second Bulletins, which appeared in 1874, are separately
, paged pamphlets, without ostensible connection with each other or with subsequent ones, but together constituting a ‘First Series” of the publication. Bulletins which appeared in 1875, being those of a “‘ Second Series” and six in number, are continuonsly paged. With No. 6 were issued title, contents, index, &c., for all the numbers of both “series” which had then appeared; the aeeien being that these should together constitute a Volume I, in order that the inconvenient distinction of “series” might be dropped.
With Bulletin No. 1 of 1876, the publication was established as an annual serial; the four consecutively paged numbers of that year con- stituting solaine II.
The four Bulletins of 1877 constituted voluie III, which compared favorably with its predecessors in the extent, variety, and importance of its contents, and was greatly TpEOvetL im typography and general appearance. :
The four Bulletins of 1878 form Volume LV, which maintains the same
high standard of excellence. IIL
IV PREFATORY NOTE.
Should no unforeseen circumstance prevent, the Bulletins will continue to be issued at convenient irregular intervals, as material may come to hand; the strictly serial character of the publication being maintained. The actual date of issue is given on the temporary cover of each, as it is important to fix with precision the appearance of the successive num- bers of a pericdical in which so many new genera and species are de- scribed.
This publication, answering so fully the special purpose for which it was established, is regarded as one of the most important means to the main ends which the Survey has in view. It has already acquired a character and standing which render it favorably comparable to the regular ‘‘ Proceedings” or other similar publications of any of the learned bodies of this country or Europe. Its scope includes the whole range of the subjects for the investigation of which the Survey is conducted, and the appearance of which in this connection does not in any way restrict the plan of the formal Reports of the Survey. The volumes already issued contain articles upon Archeology, Ethnography, Lin- guistics, Geology, Topography, Geography, Paleontology, and Natural History in general, suitably illustrated with plates, cuts, and maps; and no effort:will be spared in the future to maintain the high standard which the present volume so conspicuously illustrates.
The thanks of the Survey are due to Dr. Elliott Coues, U.S. A., for his careful and able conduct of the periodical.
F. V. HAYDEN, United States Geologist.
CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE VOLUME.
BULLETIN No. 1.—february 5, 1878.
I.—Notes on the Ornithology of the Lower Rio Grande of Texas, from ob- servations made during the season of 1877. By George B. Sennett.
Edited, with annotations, by Dr. Elliott Coues, U.S.A...-......-. II.—Descriptions of Fishes from the Cretaceous ond Tertiary Deposits
% west of the Mississippi River. By E. D. Cope...-.-.---.-----.-..- IIl.—Descriptions of New Tineina from Texas, and others from more c morehern localities) bya. hy Chamibersnae cee. <a clinics) sacle
Y IV.—Tineina and their Food-Plants. By V. T. Chambers.........-......- V.—Index tothe Described Tineina of the United States and Canada. By
Y
Warley Chamibensescernicccce nace nets ee seis a Se ok eee ca eevee a ViI.—Descriptions of Noctuidz, chiefly mon California. By A. R. Grote.. VII.—A Synopsis of the North American Species of the Genus Alpheus. By Jie tS) GOES eh See ee Uco SS Seer VEE Soar SeecCeeccec -ASee Bose neeces VILI.—Notes on the Mammals of Fort Sisseton, Dakota. By C. E. McChes- ney, M. D., Acting Assistant Surgeon, U.S. A. Annotated by Dr.
ENO FiR@ oueSs WU aSsrAteee asta ee oe cel cae sce wome eee wt Mao eek IX.—Studies of the American Herodiones. Part I.—Synopsis of the Ameri- can Genera of Ardeidw and Ciconiide ; including Descriptions of Three New Genera, and a Monograph of the American Species of
the Genus Ardea, Linn. By Robert Rigway.----..---.----..----- X.—Notice of the Butterflies collected by Dr. Edward Palmer in the Arid Regions of Southern Utah and Northern Arizona during the summer
OL leiG. 1) Enya much bh SCuCWer natn cers maeinemiee( we eiace om eer lai XI.—Notes on the Herpetology of Dakota and Montana. By IBS Elliott Coucs and! is © HYVarroay cee se ceees cae eRe eaae aes Seis ee woes XII.—On Consolidation of the Hoofs in the Virginian Deer. By Dr. Elliott Coes Sees ect 2m ote aaron ae ene nisi eas ae er ccetSeina nes, “io sisi seen XIII.—On a Breed of Solid-Hoofed Pigs apparently established in Texas. By
Dr MOG OWes WS. Andee cca sone Sao lesa wise eer aic nie <%= -cic=
XIV.—Professor Owen on the Pythonomorpha. By E. D. Cope...........-
BULLETIN No. 2.—May 3, 1878.
XV.—The Geographical Distribution of the Mammalia, considered in rela- tion to the principal Ontological Regions of the Earth, and the Laws that govern the Distributien of a Sune Life. By Joel Asaph
Allenteshe = UGC OB RG ISB SMC ORE Gist chases a Sercech Siac ose ara a a XVI.—Descriptions of New Extinct Vertebrata from the Upper Tertiary and DaAkotaphoLrmahionsya by bry). COpease ie uas sonccccacatecs seoc ee XVII.—Notes on a Collection of Fishes from the Rio Grandes at Brownsville, Bexasn Toye Avid SyJOrdanw ve DE sss to ee kt eee oe XVIII.—A Catalogue of the Fishes of the Fresh Waters of North America. By WAC SONG arTiwV gD) ee cee Sa MSR Se ee Se acs XIX.—Description of a Fossil Passerine Bird from the Insect-bearing Shales
he vt ehColoradowr Bye vAG Allon, (PHATE I) 2.6 le ee
Vv
Page.
201
219
253 259 292
295 299
313 379 397 407
443
VI CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE VOLUME.
XX.—The Coleoptera of the Alpine Regions of the Rocky Mountains. By John ys LeConte, Miho 2c es ee ee ee cane oie Slee errctenete XXI.—On the Orthoptera collected by Dr. Elliott Coues, U. 8. A., in Dakota and Montana, during 1873-74. By Prof. Cyrus Thomas. ......-.-- XXII.—On the Hemiptera collected by Dr. Elliott Coues, U.S. A., in Dakota
and Montana, during 1873-74. By P. R. Ubler.........--...---. - XXIII.—On the Lepidoptera collected by Dr. Elliott Coues, U.S. A., in Mon- tana, during 1874. By W. H. Edwards................-..----... XXIV.—An Account of some Insects of unusual interest from the Tertiary
Rocks of Colorado and Wyoming. ByS. H.Scudder.........--.-
BULLETIN No. 3.—July 29, 1878.
XXV.—Field-notes on Birds observed in Dakota and Montana along the Forty-ninth Parallel during the seasons of 1873 and 1874. By Dr. Elliott Coues, U.S. A., late Surgeon and Naturalist U. 8. Northern
Boundary. COMMUSSiOnes sate e ee eee eee eee eee ee
XX VI.—Notes on a Collection of Fishes from the Rio Grande, at Brownsville, Texas—Continued. By D.S. Jordan, M. D........---.----.----. XXVII.—Preliminary Studies on the North American Pyralide. I. By A. R. Grote) 22 a yeoce sc eceademcs sues eSeecien ceed eee eee eee ene eee eee
XXVIII.-- Paleontological Papers No. 6: Descriptions of New Species of Inver- tebrate Fossils from the Laramie Group. By C. A. White, M.D-.... XXIX.—Paleontological Papers No. 7: On the Distribution of Molluscan Species in the Laramie Group. By C. A. White, M.D..-.....----
XXX.—On some Dark Shale recently discovered below the Devonian Lime- stones, at Independence, Iowa; with a Notice of its Fossils and De-
scription of New Species. By S. Calvin, Professor of Geology, StateUmiversityoflowalss-siee ence ee eee eee eee eee ee eee aeee XXXI.—On the Mineralogy of Nevada. By W.J. Hoffman, M. D.---....-.-.-
BULLETIN No. 4.—December —, 1878.
XXXII.—The Fossil Insects of the Green River Shales. By Samuel H. Scud- der, Cambridge, Mass... ..- avs Luss okie Sap ewiats Serateetecislemiemisnteaes ee XXXIII.—Report on the Collection of Fishes made by Dr. Elliott Coues, U. S. A.,in Dakota and Montana, during the seasons of 1873 and 1874.
By David,S; Jordan; MiD 025.246 455 feseee ee ee eee XXXIV.—Catalogue of Phenogamous and Vascular Cryptogamous Plants col- lected during the summers of 1873 and 1874 in Dakota and Mon-
tana along the Forty-ninth Parallel by Dr. Elliott Coues, U. S.
A.: with which are incorporated those collected in the same region
at the same times by Mr. George M. Dawson. By Prof. J. W. Chick-
OTING, woe ees selene 25d SNCS: See ee ee ee
So N. Denies ceed does te omee scieds tock ce eee ae XXXVI.—Paleontological Dapers No.8: Remarks upon the Laramie Group. By Cs A. White; Mi IDs, 22555105 see eae ee XXXVII.—Synonymatic List of the American Sciuri, or Arboreal Squirrels. By Je Ay Allon. J. o 2. cea stat Sone yeaa ee ee ee
Page.
447
481
503
513
519
729 731
747
117
BY
Fig Fig
Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Vig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig.
Fig Fig Fig Fig Fig
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
I.—Paleospiza bella.........--..- Biers a tate yelestions oi aeraias sie
WOODCUTS IN TEXT.
. —Tail of Euxenura maguari..--.--....----- ee eeee eens Solid hoot of (Sus SCrofas.so--) y2- o> l= 2-| sine) se <= ie—Neuration in pipaschia.--- .22.c2--2o- 2 acess aie 2.—Neuration in Mochlocera..-.-..-.----.---.----6. .--.-. oe Neuratlon in Cacozelaessse yee sec =<). ce 2 scien iaine sie A—Neuration in! Toripalpus--—2-- sssses secs. «= 2-2 - == 5.—Neuration in Tetralopha..--....-.-...---.------ SPAS G:—Neuration: in Acrobasis)..- 2. - 2--<,----<+--.- 5-26 eee> == A= NeUraAtonem Salebriaenseee jcc sn sa-scis aera S—_Neutation im Pempeliigen ss -i)e ee oo = ele aioe 9.—Neuration in Nephopteryx .---..-.---..--.--- ee Bas etki lO —Neurations in Pimipestis assesses. sce = steerer
. 11.—Neuration in Honora
») 1A —ienreninGmn th ID Aetie AS 665 seoqcdeose oeoce «shes
. 13.—Neuration in Homeosoma
iA Neurationein AMerastidieccciscesececines once ceeaeolces
ene se eee wes eee ees eee eee cee
JS Rota SAE ee ee 686 So oe05e iss semis OO US sranclattiars & Sate lsioer 688
DHPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL SURVEY. EF. V. HAYDEN, U. S. GEOLOGIST-IN-CHARGE.
BULLETIN
THE UNITED STATES
GEOLOGICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL SURVEY
Or
THE TERRETORIES. WO UNEE “FV co NUMBER 1. ;
WASHINGTON: GOVEBNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. February 5, 1878.
ros
ay, Ltt Gh,
ste TE GE a
a ae es
eae
Miieemrmitn No. 1, VOL. IV. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Nos. Titles. i Pages. ART. 1.—Notes on the Ornithology of the Lower Rio Grande of Texas, from observations made during the season of 1877. By George B. Sennett. Edited, with an- notations, by Dr. Elliott Coues, U.S. A. ---...--- 1-66 ART. I1.—Descriptions of Fishes from the Cretaceous and Ter- tiary Deposits west of the Mississippi River. By Tc Usa HOYT) 2 ete A a OR Coca Aer eee 67-78 ART. Iil.—Descriptions of New Tineina from Texas, and others from more northern localities. By V.T.Chambers. 79-106 ART. IV.—Tineina and their Food-Plants. By V. T. Chambers . 107-124 ART. V.—Index to the Described Tineina of the United States
and Canada, By V. T. Chambers. -........----. 125-168 ART. Vi.—Descriptions of Noctuids, chiefly from California. By
JAA Ry (CHAT RSb Mle Soest bas Ree emi. 5) ke 169-188 ART. VII.-—A Synopsis of the North American Species of the Genus
Alpheus: “By Jie. Kinesley;< 25.) e2-'=-- -- ~~ -- 189-200
ART. VIII.—Notes on the Mammals of Fort Sisseton, Dakota. By _ C. E. McChesney, M. D., Acting Assistant Surgeon, 3 U.S. A. Annotated by Dr. Elliott Coues, U. S. A. 201-218 ART. I1X.—Studies of the American Herodiones. Part I.—Synop- sis of the American Genera of Ardeide and Cico- niide ; including Descriptions of Three New Genera, and a Monograph of the American Species of the Genus Ardea, Linn. By Robert Ridgway ..-- --- 219-252 ART. X.—Notice of the Butterflies collected by Dr. Edward Palmer in the Arid Regions of Southern Utah and Northern Arizona during the summer of 1877. By
SEATING Val SWING: eden Bos oe. enc ae Same eas . 253-258 ART. XI.—Notes on the Herpetology of Dakota and Montana.
By Drs. Elliott Coues and H. C. Yarrow ..-...-.--- 259-292 ART. XII.—On Consolidation of the Hoofs in the Virginian Deer.
By Dr. Elliott Coues, U. 8. A...--..------------ 293-294
ART. XIII.—On a Breed of Solid-Hoofed Pigs apparently estab- lished in Texas. By Dr. Elliott Cones, U.S. A.... 295-298 ART. XIV.—Professor Owen on the Pythonomorpha. ByE.D. Cope. 299-311
oft
ART. I.—NOTES ON THE ORNITHOLOGY OF THE LOWER RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS, FROM OBSERVATIONS MADE DURING THE SEASON OF 1877.
By GEORGE B. SENNET', Of Erie, Pa.
Edited,* with annotations, by Dr. ELL1IoTT CovuEs, U.S. A.
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.
ERIE, PA., December 1, 1877.
Str: In transmitting these notes on the ornithology of the Lower Rio Grande, allow me to preface them with a few remarks.
Last winter, having inclination and leisure to prosecute the study of birds in a more extended field than was open to me at home, I began to look about for a suitable locality. As is always the case when real desire for study arises, avenues of investigation opened in all directions; but the weight of influence drew me to the Rio Grande. Arranging with Mr. F. 8. Webster, of Troy, N. Y., to go as my assistant, and secur- ing a complete outfit, I set out for Texas on February 23d of the present year. My plan was to work down the lower coast of Texas, and arrive at Brownsville, as a base of future operations, before the breeding sea- son had fairly commenced. On the evening of the 20th of March, after many vexatious delays, we arrived at Brownsville, our objective point. The country worked over lay between Point Isabel, on the coast, near the mouth of the Rio Grande, and a point a few miles above Hidalgo, embracing a distance of a hundred miles by road or three hundred miles by river. We were exactly two months on the southern border. Much valuable time was lost in going up and down the river, in procuring means of conveyance, and in acquainting ourselves with the country. The annoyances also were not afew. On some days the weather was so intensely hot that birds were apt to spoil before we could prepare them. While we were constantly on the alert for huge rattlesnakes, tarantulas, and centipedes, yet more troublesome enemies were with us continually in the shape of wood-ticks and red-bugs, to say nothing of
*[The editor’s notes are bracketed and followed by his initials. Having inspected most of the collection, which was courteously submitted to his examination by Mr.
Sennett, he is responsible for the identifications of nearly all the species, as well as for his technical commentary.—E. C.]
Bull. iv. No. 1—1 1
2 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
the fleas. The wood-ticks we could pick off or dig out, but the abom- inable “red-bugs”, as they are called, too small to be seen, worked themselves through the clothes and into the skin, making one almost wild with intense itching. We only obtained partial relief by giving ourselves, from head to foot, before going to bed, a bath of ammonia, and a daily bath of kerosene oil before going into the brush. Under such circumstances it requires courage and enthusiasm to persevere in any pursuit.
The result of the trip was the securing of some five hundred birds, three of which are new to our fauna and one new to science; about a thousand eggs, many of which are new or rare; a few mammals, nearly all of which proved interesting; a number of alcoholic preparations of birds, mammals, and reptiles; and quite a collection of insects, prin- cipally Lepidoptera. The birds and mammals you have inspected; the rarer egos have been exchanged with Dr. T. M. Brewer, Capt. C. Ben- dire, Dr. J. C. Merrill, Mr. E. Dickinson, Mr. Webster, and others. The alcoholic specimens have been sent to Prof. B. G. Wilder, of Cornell University, and the Lepidoptera to Mr. J. A. Lintner, of Albany, N. Y.
In nomenclature and classification of the birds herein treated, I have followed your “ Key to North American Birds”, subject, however, to your present revision. I have endeavored to avoid repetition of matters already published in other works, although I may have failed in this in some cases, as my facilities for examining the literature of the subject have been limited. ,
To the following persons who have extended kindnesses to me, with ready co6peration in my labors during the trip, I present acknowledg- ments: To Mr. Webster, for his industry and valued assistance. To Lieutenant Davis, in charge of Coast Survey at Galveston, for courtesies shown and assistance rendered in getting to and from points about the bay; and also to Major Lane, in charge of government works at Bolivar Point, for hospitalities freely extended. To Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Halter, of the Coast Survey, at Padre Island, for most opportune hospitality when weather-bound for several days on that desert spot. To Mr. Dean, collector of customs, and Mr. Leo, sheriff of Hidalgo County, both at Hidalgo; to Dr. Finley, acting assistant surgeon U.S. A., in camp near Hidalgo; and to Mr. Bourbois, at Lomita ranche, a few miles above Hidalgo, for assistance and numerous courtesies. To Dr. J.C. Merrill, U.S. A., post-surgeon at Fort Brown, for his very valuable assistance and hearty codperation in my work.
And now, Sir, to you I owe, most of all, my hearty acknowledgments for your kindness in identifying the collection of birds and mammals, and im editing these notes, and for other courtesies rendered.
Very truly yours, GEO. B. SENNETT.
Dr. ELLIOTT CovuEs, U.S. A.,
Secretary United States Geological and Geographical Survey.
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 38
TURDIDZ.
MIMUS POLYGLOTTUS, (L.).—Mockingbird.
First seen in great numbers at Corpus Christi. On the Rio Grande it was everywhere abundant. There can little new be said about a bird so common throughout the South, yet I will give an item or two that may be interesting to some. When I saw him he wasin good song. He is acapital mimic; and many and frequent were the maledictions on his pate, when, after long watching, and perhaps a shot through the thick bushes, instead of some expected prize, he made his appearance. I be- heve there is no bird-note he cannot imitate. While at work at our birds in the court-house at Hidalgo, we were several times greeted with the screeching “ cha-cha-la-ca” from the low bushes on the river-bank but a few rods distant. Feeling positive that there could not be a Texan Guan within half a mile of us, we yet went out to satisfy our- selves, and found the cry to be that of a Mocker in excellent imitation of the chachalaca refrain. .
The Mockingbird commenced laying on the Rio Grande about April 1. Our first eggs were taken April 5. I know of no eggs having greater variations in markings and ground-color. They varied from a ground- color of the very palest bluish-green and a pure green to a pure buff, and in markings from fine specks over the entire egg to great reddish-brown blotches, principally on the large end. The largest egg measured 1.25 by 0.72; the smallest, 0.90 by 0.67; the average of a large lot was 0.98 by 0.72. Many sets were examined. Young birds were first seen about May 1.
* 30—f¢ —10.50 x 15.00 x 4.62 x 4.87. Mar. 9, Corpus Christi.
HARPORHYNCHUS RUFUS LONGIROSTRIS, (Lafr.) Cs.—Long-billed Thrush.
Of the Thrushes on our extreme southern border, I found the Texas Thrasher next to the Mockingbird in point of numbers. Usually they keep out of the sight of man, even when their home is invaded and the bird driven from the nest. I do not remember of their making any cry of grief at such depredation. One day in April, while concealed ina dense thicket close by some heavy timber, a pair of this species gave me pleasure fora full half hour. This, I think, was the only time I ever saw them for more than a moment ortwoatatime. The male was nearly as full of song as a Mockingbird, and his notes seemed much sweeter, not being so loud. They kept very near each other, the female giving frequent little chirps. I was unable to see any peculiarities distinct from the habits of its nearest relative, H. rufus, excepting that it was ‘more arboreal, and built its nest much higher. I found their nests nu-
* In these lists of specimens, the first number is that of the specimen. The sign for sex follows. The next four numbers indicate respectively the length, extent of wings, length of wing, and length of tail. Other measurements are preceded by the name of the part. Date and locality follow.
4 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
merous, secured a score or more sets of eggs, and examined many that I did not take. My observations are so much at variance with the de- scription of these nests in the ‘‘ History of North American Birds”, by Baird, Brewer and Ridgway, that I will quote from these authors before giving my experience. ‘Their nests are usually a mere platform of small sticks or coarse stems, with little or no depression or rim, and are placed in low bushes, usually above the upper branches.”
I found none without a lining, either of grasses, Spanish moss, fine roots, or bark. There was a marked depression in every nest, the de- pression varying from one inch to two and one-half inches. Of those taken, the lowest was four feet from the ground and the highest some eight feet, averaging, I think, five and one-half feet. I found their nests in a variety of places—prickly-pear cactus, Spanish bayonet, chaparral, and most commonly in the dense undergrowth under the heavier timber. I saw no nest of this bird in an exposed position ‘‘above the upper branches”. Its usual position is in the very heart of the tree or plant ‘selected, and, like most of the nests of this region, not capable of being detached from the thorny bushes without falling to pieces. I found the birds and nests of only three Thrashes, viz: M. polyglottus, Mocking- bird; H. curvirostris, Curve-billed Thrush; and the one now under con- sideration; and I doubt very much the ability of any one ordinarily to tell one nest from the other, either by structure or position. The usual complement of eggs is four; in fact, I found but one clutch of five. The eges-are marked very much like those of H. rufus (Brown Thrush), and ars hardly distinguishable from’ them. The typical egg has a ground- color of the faintest greenish-white, and is finely speckled all over with brown, the dotting being thickest at the larger end. Several sets were — obtained with the ground-color yellowish-white, and so thickly speckled as to have a general color of ochre. One set is nearly pure white, speck- led thickly only in the form of a wreath at the larger end, otherwise very sparsely and faintly marked. The shape is usually uniform, like all the Thrushes’; but 1 have one egg shaped exactly like a Quail’s egg. The largest egg was 1.12 by 0.84, and the smallest 1.01 by 0.75. The average length was 1.07, and breadth 0.78.
134— 9 —11.62 x 13.50 x 4.12 x 4.75. Apr. 2, Brownsville.
297— 92 —11.50 x 13.25 x 4.00 x 5.00. Apr. 29, Hidalgo. 383— 9 —11.00 x 13.00 x 3.85 x 5.00. May 6, Hidalgo.
HARPORHYNCHUS CURVIROSTRIS, (Sw.) Cab.—Curve-billed Thrush.
This Thrush, though frequently seen, is not so common as H. longiros: tris (Long-billed Thrush), and is readily distinguished from it. Idid not meet with it until we reached Brownsville, on March 20th. The very first day at that place, it was seen about the brush-fences just outside of the city. The bird is very retiring in its habits, never more than one or two being seen together, and even less inclined to sing in exposed places than its near relative, H. longirostris. I do not remember hearing its
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 5
song, but I am told by the residents of the country that it sings very sweetly in secluded places, but never in confinement. Ordinarily, one would expect to find its nest in very secluded thickets. The first nest secured was at Hidalgo, April 17. Its location was beneath the roof in the broken side of a thatched outhouse in the very heart of the village. A more exposed place for human view could not be found, nor was there in the village a yard more frequented by children; yet I could not im- agine a Safer retreat from its wore natural enemies—Hawks, Jays, &e. The female was shot as she came from the nest; and with little difii- culty I took the nest entire, with its complement of four beautiful, fresh eggs. The average size of nest was about that of an ordinary four- quart measure, although, from its irregular shape, it would not set into one. Its depth outside was fully six inches, with an inside depth of two so that when the bird was on, though only six feet from the ground, nothing but its head and tail could be seen. The nest was composed of twigs from the size of a lead-pencii down, and lined with dry grasses. This description will apply to the several others found, with this difference: some were smaller, and in this instance greater care was taken to intertwine the sticks, so that it would hold well together. On April 28th I found a nest and four fresh eggs only three feet from the ground, in a thicket, not far from a nest of H. longirostris.
On May 10th, while on horseback, I came upon a prickly-pear cactus, wonderful to me for its size and tree-like shape. Its trunk was the size of a man’s body, and some of its branches were above my head as I sat on my horse. its general form was that cf a wine-glass. While peer- ing about and poking the stalks with my gun, I discovered in the very heart of the great cactus a nest and four eggs of this Thrush. It was about five feet from the ground, perfectly exposed above, yet nothing could be more secure from all sides. Not a sign was to be seen of the parent bird, not a note heard, yet I felt sure a pair of golden eyes were peering out of some neighboring thicket. The eggs once identified could not be mistaken for those of any other bird of the region. With some difficulty I secured the eggs, wondering in what other extraordinary place I should find the nest of this species.
The shape of the eggs is like that of the Brown Thrush’s, only longer. The ground-color varies from a pale to a rich pea-green. The markings. are brown, evenly and finely scattered over the entireegg. The largest ‘egg out of twenty measures 1.18 by 0.80 of an inch, the smallest 1.03 by 0.79. The length ranges from 1.20 to 1.03, averaging 1.12 of an inch. The breadth ranges from 0.82 to 0.72, averaging 0.79 of an inch.
133— g —11.38 x 14.75 x 4.37 x 4.25. Apr. 2, Brownsville. 161— 9 —11.00 x 13.25 x 4.12 x 4.25. Apr. 5, Brownsville. 222— 9 —10.50 x 13.00 x 3.87 x 4.00 Apr. 17, Hidalgo. 272— 9 —10.75 x 13.50 x 4.25 x 4.25. Apr. 25, Hidalgo.
371— g —11.00 x 14.12 x 3.88 x 4.12. May 5, Hidalgo. 373— 9 —11.00 x 14.25 x 4.25 x 4.25. May 5, Hidalgo.
6 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
SAXICOLIDA.
SIALIA SIALIS, (Z.) Haldeman.— Bluebird.
On May 3, in the vicinity of Hidalgo, I shot the only pair of these birds seen on the Rio Grande. I first shot the male, and, while picking it up, its mate, with dry grasses in its mouth, flew into an old Wood- pecker’s hole, in a dead stub near by, and was soon secured.
348— ¢ —7.25 x 12.50 x 3.85 x 2.62. May 3, Hidalgo.
SYLVIIDA.
POLIOPTILA C@RULEA, (L.) Sclat.—Blue-gray Gnateatcher.
I have no knowledge of seeing this bird more than once or twice, and no specimens were obtained. A handsome nest and clutch of eggs were taken by Dr. Merrill in April in the vicinity of Brownsville.
PARIDA.
LOPHOPHANES ATROCRISTATUS, Cass.—Bluck-crested Titmouse.
These lively and sweet singers were everywhere abundant, especially in old lagoon-beds, now largely grown up with the mesquite and lignum vite. Although so common, we were unable to find their eggs. The only nest discovered contained young, and was situated in the split fork of a tree, some ten or twelve feet from the ground. The exact pumber of young could not be determined, but there were certainly five or six. On May 3d, I came upon a whole family, the young of which had nearly obtained their growth. I shot one adult and five young, and at least’ three young escaped. One day, while riding along the river road, a song new to me and beautifully sweet and clear greeted my ear. Dis- mounting, I followed the sound into the forest. The clearness of the whistling song, the locality, and the careful concealment of the bird led me to feel sure of a species new to me. At the very first sight I fired. That song cost a fine male Black-crested Tit his life. Had I suspected him to have been the singer, I would gladly have spared the bird, as my bag was already filled.
63— g —5.75 x 9.00 x 2.87 x 2.63. Mar. 24, Brownsville. 209— 2 —5.75 x 9.00 x 2.75 x 2.50. Apr. 17, Hidalgo. 210— ¢ —5.75 x 9.00 x 2.81 x 2.50. Apr. 17, Hidalgo. 213— 9 —d.63 x 8.75 x 2.75 x 2.50. Apr. 17, Hidalgo. 236—9 —5.50 x 8.50 x 2.75 x 2.38. Apr. 19, Hidalgo. 238— g —5.50 x 9.00 x 2.87 x 2.62. Apr. 19, Hidalgo.
349— 9 juv.—5.50 x 8.50 x 2.37 x 2.12. May 3, Hidalgo. 300— 9 juv.—.37 x 8.38 x 2.62 x 2.06. May 3, Hidalgo. 3ol— 9 juv.—.38 x 8.62 x 2.50 x 2.05. May 3, Hidalgo.
AURIPARUS FLAVICEPS, (Sund.) Bd.—Yellow-headed Titmouse.
My first knowledge of the existence of this bird in the vicinity was the finding of a new nest on April 28th; but it contained no eggs, and
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 7
was not recognized at the time. The next day I went to the nest, found one egg in it, and saw both parents. While the female was darting in and out of the thicket, evidently alarmed at my close proximity to her treasure, the male was flitting from tree to tree, on the topmost branches, Singing as hard as he could. I watched them both for at least half an hour, when they disappeared.
Allowing five days to complete their complement of eggs, I again visited the nest. I cautiously approached and shook the bush, but no bird flew out of the nest. Thereupon I inserted my finger in the small opening on the side of the nest, and I could feel three eggs, and what I thought were some loose feathers. Imagine my surprise and fright upon withdrawing my finger at something flying out of the nest, directly into my face. It was the female. <A few cries of alarm, and responses from her mate, and they were out of sight before I could reach my gun. Again carefully examining the nest, I very plainly felt four eggs. I wanted the birds as well as the eggs, and decided to leave them until another day, when I would secure all. Fatal mistake! for when it was next visited the female flew out of the nest before we reached it, was fired at, and missed. I, however, shot the male, and then went for the nest, but, lo! it was empty—not the least vestige of an egg! Nothing, in my opinion, could have removed the eggs but the bird itself. It was owing, in all probability, to the disturbance and fright of the previous visit. But why was she back in the nest? About this time three eggs were discovered in another nest, and when visited the day after they were also gone. We were very careful in examining lest we should dis- turb the eggs. Can it be possible that with the least touch the parent bird abandons her eggs? Two nests that we found had been torn open from above, evidently by some Jay or other robber. Out of the six new nests found between April 28 and May 10 we were only able to obtain one egg, and that was probably an infertile one, as the balance of’ the clutch had hatched and taken their departure. One nest was brought me on May 1 with three young about ready to leave. Their nests are simply wonderful, far excelling, to my mind, all other bird architecture of our fauna. Think of the size, varying from four to ten inches in diameter; then think of the size of the bird, but little larger than a Hummingbird! The shape is like a bottle, or, better still, a retort, with the mouth at one side and inclining downward. I found the nests built on and around one (in one instance two) horizontal branch. The body is composed of thorny twigs interwoven with wood-moss, grass, and bark. The lining is of the softest down and feathers, not loosely thrown in, but woven into a sort of matting, covering not only the whole of the in- terior body of the retort, or nest proper, but also the neck to the very mouth. The distance from the mouth to the eggs is sometimes six inches. The place selected is usually the extremity of a branch of an exposed bush, and easily approached. The highest nest was six feet, the lowest less than three feet from the ground. There they swing, free
8 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
to every ‘“‘norther”, until they fall to pieces from decay. The only locality in which we found their nests was open chaparral, on that high ground where the cactus and a thorny, leafless bush, the junco, abound, and where are scattered at intervals clumps of trees of respectable growth, among which is the dark green ebony. The birds, though oc- casionally seen, are by no means abundant. The shape of the single egg secured is pointed at one end, rounded at the other, the greatest diameter being nearer one end. It is pale blue, speckled very thickly at the large end with reddish-brown, but sparsely elsewhere. It measures 0.63 by 0.44 of an inch.
376— § —4.12 x 6.75 ¥ 1.56%1.75. May 6, Hidalgo. 415— § —4.62'% 6.75 x 2.05 x 2.00. May 10, Hidalgo.
TROGLODYTID.
THRYOTHORUS LUDOVICIANUS BERLANDIERI,* (Couch) Cs.—Berlandier’s Wren.
Common on the Lower Rio Grande, frequenting: uninhabited places near woodland, more especially the dead trees bordering the timber and lagoons. I found, however, one brood of young, just off the nest, in the dense woods near a bridle-path. I did not secure many specimens, for the reason that, at the time, I supposed them all ludovicianus. Had I suspected that they would prove to be berlandieri, I should have taken a larger number. Many were shot, but, as they showed no varia- tion from those retained, and as I had many recognized rare birds to take care of, they were not preserved. My experience with the Wrens about Hidalgo is, that bewicki and this variety are the ones found | breeding commonly. This bird breeds near the ground, seldom higher than five feet, in hollow trees, stubs, and even dead limbs lying on the ground. By the first of May, the young were about with the parents ; at the same time perfectly fresh eggs were taken. Three sets of fresh eggs were secured, all from the same locality, where there seemed to be quite a colony of these birds breeding, many having families of young. Two of the sets were alike in color and markings. Of these, one (a set of five) was taken May 1st from an opening four feet from the ground, in a hollow tree, and given, less one egg, Which was broken, to Dr. Merrill; the other (a set of four) was taken May 7th from a rotten tree lying on the ground, the nest being only two feet from the ground; this was given to Dr. Brewer. Dr. Brewer writes me in regard to his set, that ‘they differ from my four sets of ludovicianus in being smaller, in hav- ing ground-color clear white instead. of pink, the spots larger and less
* [The specimens are rather puzzling, being intermediate between ludovicianus proper -and the full development of berlandiert. Some of them, however, exhibit unmistakably he dark-barred flanks, longer bill, and other characters dwelt on by Baird in his diag- nosis of berlandieri, to which form it may be proper to refer the whole lot, especially as Mr. Sennett’s field observations do not indicate any differences among the larger Wrens of this locality —K. C.]
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. g
numerous, but more distinct and more confined to the larger end than in ludovicianus. In fact, they are much more like bewicki than ludovicianus. The eggs measure 0.78 by 0.59, 0.75 by 0.59, 0.76 by 0.55, and 0.73 by 0.55.”
The remaining set of six eggs was taken May 1 from the same local- ity. The bird was caught on her eggs, and considered just the same as all the others of the colony breeding there, and of which we had a number of adults and young. The eggs vary from the other two sets in the ground-color, in having more markings, and in having purple in with the brown. ‘Their average size is 0.80 by 0.60. The ground-color is decidedly pinkish; the brown specks and blotches are distributed over the whole surface, but forming a thick band near the larger end. The nest of this set measures four inches outside diameter by two inches inside. It is composed of grasses, leaves, and a few stems, and lined with horsehair, a few feathers, and pieces of snakeskins. It was sit- uated in a hollow, live tree, only three feet above the ground.
249— gf —5.50 x 7.50 x 2.25 x 1.88. Apr. 20, Hidalgo. 312— f juv.—4.62 x 7.00 x 2.25x1.31. Apr. 30, Hidalgo. 313— g juv.— 4.387 x 7.38 x 2.13 x 1.37. Apr. 30, Hidalgo. 329— fg —6.00 x 8.00 x 2.25x2.13. May 2, Hidalgo. 330— g juv.—o.50 x 7.55 x 2.00 x 1.38. May 2, Hidalgo.
THRYOTHORUS BEWICKI, (Aud.) Bp.—Bewick’s Wren.
This Wren is everywhere as common on the Southern border as is our House Wren in the North. I found them breeding in the woods, but rarely in the openings of the chaparral, among the cactus, in the thatched jacals of the towns, and most abundantly in the brush-fences. I did not find them as noisy as our House Wrens, but still lively and sweet songsters. Broods of full-grown young were about by the first of May. I can account for our not securing any eggs of this species by our being rather late in the season for their first laying, and also, by their very domestic habits; and as we were collecting most of the time away from the settlements, we quite naturally neglected those birds near at hand. I saw none of var. leucogaster of this species, and no -House Wrens, Troglodytes aédon.
124— $ —4,.87 x 7.00 x 2.06 x 2.00. Mar. 31, Brownsville. 160— g —5.12 x 7.00 x 2.12 x 2.00. Apr. 5, Brownsville. 294— g —5.50 x 7.12.x 2.12 x 2.25. Apr. 28, Hidalgo.
302— g¢ juv.—.00 x 7.00 x 2.00 x 2.00. Apr. 29, Hidalgo.
ALAUDIDA.
_ EREMOPHILA ALPESTRIS CHRYSOLZMA, (Wagl.) Coues.—Southwestern Horned Lark.
I first met this bird at Galveston, on the dry, sandy ridges adjoining the salt-marshes. It was in company oftentimes with Plectrophanes maccowni, MeCown’s Bunting. In the vicinity of Brownsville I fre- quently saw it along the roadside, in the small stretches of prairie a
10 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
few miles back from the river, and also as we approached the salt- marshes near the coast. Up the river from Brownsville we observed very few, as the country is more thickly wooded, and consequently un- suited to the habits of the Shore Lark. I obtained no eggs, although it undoubtedly breeds near the coast at least as far north as Galveston. I saw no difference in its habits from those of the North. I recognized the bird, before I shot it, by its peculiar flight and song. It differs from the typical alpestris in being smaller and brighter in color.
108— 9 —6.50 x 11.50 x 3.62 x 2.38. Mar. 29, Brownsville. MOTACILLIDA.
ANTHUS (NEOCORYS) SPRAGUII, (Aud.) Sel.— Missouri Skylark.
"South of Galveston, just without the city limits, are lagoons and salt- marshes. The low ridges dividing them are covered sparsely with grass, and, as in other sandy tracts, all of the tall grass grows in clumps, or hummocks. From among these one day I started a large, scattered flock of birds. I recognized among them Plectrophanes maccowni, Me- Cown’s Bunting, from having shot it the day before. By chance my eye caught sight of a bird darting into a hummock. I flushed and shot it. It was in soiled plumage, and gave me more study than any other bird of the collection before I ascertained that it was the Missouri Skylark. Others were seen at this time, but not obtained. I think I never saw birds so difficult to distinguish and shoot, although I was sure they were somewhere about under my very eyes. Of their habits I could see little or nothing. I think this bird has not before been noticed so far south.*
5—6.50 x 11.00 x 3.38 x 2.62. Mar. 1, Galveston. SYLVICOLID A.
PARULA AMERICANA, (L.) Bp.—Blue Yellow-backed Warbler.
The single specimen of this bird seen was under very peculiar cireum- stances. Wecame from Corpus Christi to Point Isabel in a flat-bottomed oyster-boat of four tons. When almost on the bar at Brazos de Santiago, the darkness and a storm prevented our passing over, and during the night we drifted out into the Gulf. The morning of March 20th found us twenty-five or thirty miles out, with the sea still heavily rolling, but the sky and air most beautiful. Hoisting all sail to catch the gentle breeze, we made for port. Just before we sighted land, imagine our surprise and joy to see a little Blue Yellow-backed Warbler on our mast. It soon flew down to the sail, and thence to the deck, where,
*[ Interesting on account of the locality, which is the southernmost on record. The specimen has a dull look, as if the plumage were soiled from the nature of the ground or herbage where it was shot. In the North, where the bird is very common in some localities, it mixes freely, not only with P. maccowni, as here witnessed by Mr. Sennett, but also with P. ornatus and with Passerculus bairdi.—E. C.]
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 11
after a few moments, it felt quite at home. Our sailor caught him, and he was passed around for all to admire and pet. It would nestle in our hands and enjoy the warmth without the least fear. When allowed his freedom, he would hop upon us, fly from one to another, and dart off over the side of the boat as if taking his departure; when, lo! back he would come with a fly or moth he had seen over the water and had captured. Several flies were caught in this way. He searched over the whole boat and into the hold for insects. Often he would fly to one or the other of us, as we were lying on the deck, and into our hands and faces, with the utmost familiarity. He received our undivided attention, but could have been no happier than we. Upon reaching shore, amid the confusion of our landing we lost Sight forever of our pretty friend.
PARULA NIGRILORA, Coues, n. s.—Sennett’s Warbler.
[ g Subcerulea, dorso medio virenti-flavo, alis albo bifasciatis, palpebris nigris immaculatis, loris linedque frontali niger Tomas 5 subtus flava, jugulo aurantiaco, abdomine infimo, hypo- chondriis crissoque albis.
g, adult: Upper parts of the same ashy-blue color as in P. americana, with a dorsal patch of greenish-yellow exactly as in that species. Wings alsoas in americana, dusky, with grayish-blue outer, and whitish inner, edgings, and crossed by two conspicuous white bars, across tips of greater and middle coverts. Tail as in americana, but the white spots smaller and almost restricted to two outer feathers on each side. Eyeiids black without white marks. Lores broadly and intensely black, this color extending as a narrow frontal line to meet its fellow across base of culmen, and also reaching back to invade the auriculars, on which it shades through dusky to the general bluish. Under parts yellow as far as the middle of the belly, and a little farther on the flanks, and also spreading up the sides of the jaw to involve part of the mandibular and malar region; on the fore breast deepening into rich orange, but showing nothing of the orange-chestnut and blackish of P. americana. Lower belly, flanks, and crissum white. Bill black above, yellow below. Legs undefinable light horn-color. Length (of skins, about) 4.50; wing 2.00-2,20; tail 1.80-1.90; bill from nostril 0.38-0.40 ; tarsus 0.6:2-0.65 ; middle toe alone 0.40 (extremes of three adult males).
This bird is entirely distinct from P. americana, and belongs to the pitiayumi type. From americana it is distinguished by the extension of the yellow to the middle belly and flanks, absence of the decided blackish collar, lack of white on eyelids, and broadly black lores involving auriculars and frontal stripe. The upper parts, wings, and tail are substantially as in americana, the tint of the upper parts, shape and color of the dorsal patch, and the white wing-bars being the same in both. From P. inornata Baird it differs in the presence of the wing-bands and color of the upper parts, inornata being a deep blue species with plain wings. From pitiayumi it differs in the much lighter- colored upper parts, and less of the yellow below, pitiayumi having deep plumbeous- blue back and the yellow extending to the crissum. The relationships are closest to the insularis, agreeing in having the lower abdomen flanks white, like the crissum, in- stead of yellow like the breast, as is the case both with inornata and pitiayumi. The differences from insularis, however, are readily expressed; the lores being decidedly black, and broadly contrasting with the bluish-gray, as in vitiayumi and inornata, and the wing-bands being as broad and distinct as they are in americana, instead of narrow as in insularis, and the yellow of the throat extending on the malar region, while in insularis the yellow is strictly confined beween the sides of the jaw.
Agreeably to the latest fashion, the bird will probably stand as pitiayumi var. nigri- lora; but its probable gradation into pitiayumi through Mexican and Central American specimens remains tobe shown. It is thoroughly distinct from P. americana.—k. C.]
12 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
On April 20th, soon after reaching Hidalgo, I was directed up the river some four miles by road, and there shot the first three eign of this new species.
On May 3d, another was shot among the mezquite timber of the old resaca, within a mile of town. On May Sth, another was shot in a dense forest about half a mile from where the first three were obtained. Sev- eral more were seen; in fact, they were more abundant than any other Warbler. It was a constant surprise to me while on the Rio Grande that so few Warblers were to be seen. I had depended on getting a large number of species, and was constantly on the lookout for them, daily frequenting places where I expected to find them.
All of the specimens obtained are males, and I remember of seeing none in pairs. They were seen usually in little groups of three or four. They are by no means shy, but frequenting, as they do, the woods, cannot be readily seen. Dr. Merrill writes me from Fort Brown that in July he found the nest and three young of what he supposed at the time to be Parula americana, but which may prove to belong to this species. I have little doubt that another season will bring to our knowl- edge full accounts of the breeding habits of this beautiful new Warbler.
I have just received from Dr. Merrill, Fort Brown, a description of the nest found in July :—
‘My nest of Parula was taken July 5th, about five miles from here. Tt was placed in a small thin bunch of hanging moss, about ten feet from the ground, in a thicket; was simply hollowed out of the moss, of which it was entirely composed, with the exception of three or four horse- hairs; entrance on side; contained three young about half-fledged. Parents very bold, but thinking they were americana I did not shoot them.”
248— g —4.37 x 6.75 x 2.25 x 1.68. Apr. 20, Hidalgo. 250— fg —4.25 x 6.75 x 2.13 x 1.56. Apr. 20, Hidalgo. 202— §—4.25 x 6.75 x 2.12 x 1.63. Apr. 20, Hidalgo. 343— § —4.25 x 6.50 x 2.00 x 1.62. May 3, Hidalgo. 396— g —4.50 x 7.00 x 2.00 x 1.87. May 8, Hidalgo.
HELMINTHOPHAGA RUFICAPILLA, ( Wils.) Bd.—WNashville Warbler. The only specimen seen was in tbe dense woods in the vicinity of Hidalgo. 395— g —4.50 x 6.87 x 2.00 x 1.63. May 8, Hidalgo. HELMINTHOPHAGA CELATA, (Say) Bd.—Orange-crowned Warbler.
Only one specimen shot, and we were unable to save it on account of the great heat. Measurements taken and sex examined. The bird was shot in undergrowth, near a lagoon.
110— ¢ —4.75 x 7.50 x 2.50 x 2.12. Mar. 29, Brownsville,
DENDRGCA VIRENS, (Gm.) Bd.—Black-throated Green Warbler. Shot in vicinity of Hidalgo while we were riding along the road through the woods. It is in very fine plumage. 251— § —5.00 x 7.75 x 2.63 x 2.12. Apr. 20, Hidalgo.
\
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS, 13
DENDRGCA CORONATA, (L.) Gr.—Yellow-rumped Warbler.
On the northern end of Padre Island, in the middle of March, I saw more of the migration of our northern birds than during the remainder of my stay in Texas, although I was on the island but three or four days. All of the respectable growth of vegetation upon the island consisted of a few bushes and small trees, in which was located the camp of the Coast Survey. Conspicuous among the birds seen at this time was the Yellow-rumped Warbler. I saw afewalso about Brownsville up to about April 15. Iam told that some remain all summer on the southern bor- der, but I saw no signs of it. DENDRCCA DOMINICA ALBILORA, (L.) Ridgw.— Yellow-throated Warbler.
This specimen has the entire superciliary line white.* The only one seen; shot in the open chaparral among mezquite and cactus.
84— g —5. 37 x 8.50 x 2.75 x 2.00 Mar. 26, Brownsville. SIURUS MOTACILLA,} (V.) Bp.—Large-billed Water Thrush.
Shot near Brownsville in a mezquite grove on the border of a acon some fifty feet from the water’s edge. It was seen flitting through the branches near the ground, and never at rest. This is the only one recognized, and, as I was often in favorable places for them, I cannot think them abundant.
119— 9 —6.00 x 10.00 x 3.00 x 2.00. Mar. 31, Brownsville. ICTERIA VIRENS, (L.) Bd.— Yellow-breasted Chat.
This bird is quite common in suitable places, although, as every where else, more frequently heard than seen. Its first choice is a thick brush- fence. At Brownsville, we were quite surprised to have a bird-woman offer us a pair in a cage, and I bargained with her to keep them for us until our return from up the river, but we never heard from them again.
At Hidalgo, nearly every night, when through our work, we went to ~ the river to bathe, and never did we fail to hear the sweet melody of the Chats, in a thicket and brush-fence across the river. No matter at what time we might wake on a still night we could hear “our Chats”, as we familiarly called them. I think them by far the finest singers of all our birds. I did not come upon their nests. I am indebted to Dr. Merrill for a set of four eggs and nest, taken near Brownsville while I was up the river. The nest is composed of weeds and a few leaves laid around in layers, and lined with a few rootlets. Outside, it is 44 inches in diameter by 23 deep; inside, 25 diameter by 2 inches deep. The eggs are white, speckled thickly at the larger end and sparsely at the smaller with reddish-brown. Largest egg of the four, 0.92 by 0.71; smallest, 0.85 by 0.69; average size, 0.89 by 0.70. .
182— § —7.12 x 9.75 x 3.13 x 3.12. Apr. 8, Brownsville. 280— § —8.00 x 10.25 x 3.13 x 3.50. Apr. 26, Hidalgo.
* [Typically representing Mr. Ridgway’s subspecies, which seems to prevail, if it be not the only form, in the Mississippi Basin and Texas.—E. C. ]
t[See my “Corrections of Nomenclature in the Genus Siurus”. <Bull. Nuttall Club, ii. 1877, 33.—E. C.]
14. ~—S-: BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
SETOPHAGA RUTICILLA, (L.) Sw.—Redstart.
I saw several of this species in the latter part of April at Hidalgo, and shot one female. They frequented the undergrowth of heavy tim- ber on the very bank of the river.
TANAGRIDA.
PYRANGA &STIVA, (L.) V.i— Summer Redbird.
The first I saw of this bird was on April 20 in heavy timber in the vicinity of Hidalgo. Here we met the first tall growth of trees, these attaining a height of fifty or sixty feet, and free enough from under- growth to admit of riding through on horseback. Here two males of this species were shot, and one female seen. They did not seem to be paired at that time. I afterward saw them frequently in the dense woods, but never in the open chaparral. They were generally seen on the undergrowth or among the lower limbs of the larger trees. I did not find them very shy. On May 7, my companion flushed a bird of this species from its nest, in which there was one egg. He left the nest to consult me, in another part of the woods, whether to leave it for more eggs or take it as it was. We decided to take it, as we were then ex- pecting the boat any day to take us to Brownsville, and the chances of reaching that locality again were very doubtful. On his going back, although not half an hour had elapsed since his first visit, the nest was empty. The nest was built on a very small tree in the heart of the woods, and was only five and one-half feet from the ground on a hori- zontal fork, on which several twigs stood upright, serving as a sort of basket to hold it. The body of the nest was composed of Spanish moss. and smal] pliant twigs woven about the living branches. The lining ~ was made entirely of soft, bleached grasses, and is plainly seen through the moss from below. Quitside diameter was 5 inches by 44, and depth of 235 inside diameter 23 inches, and 13 deep, with the rim drawn in slightly.
253— f —7.75 x 12.00 x 3.75 x 3.00. Apr. 20, Hidalgo. 259-— ¢ —8.00 x 12.00 x 4.00 x 3.25. Apr. 20, Hidalgo. > 266— $ —7.75 x 12.00 x 3.75 x 3.25. Apr. 24, Hidalgo. 267— 9 —7.75 x 12.00 x 3.75 x 3.25. Apr. 24, Hidalgo. 304— $ —8.00 x 12.25 x 3.87 x 3.25. Apr. 30, Hidalgo.
342— §—8.25 x 12.75 x 3.87 x 3.12. May 3, Hidalgo. 387— g —7.62 x 12.25 x 3.75 x 3.12. May 7, Hidalgo.
HIRUNDINIDA.
HIRUNDO HORREORUM, Barton.—Barn Swallow.
Not noticed on the Rio Grande; but on May 22d, when our steamer was about opposite Galveston, several of this species flew about us, almost in our faces, sometimes alighting on the deck. They kept us company for hours.
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXas. 15
TACHYCINETA BICOLOR, (V.) Coues.— White-bellied Swallow.
Numbers were seen on our way down the coast from Indianola to Point Isabel. They were also seen about the lagoons in the vicinity of Brownsville up to about April 1st, after which time none were observed.
PETROCHELIDON LUNIFRONS, (Say) Cab.—Cliff Swallow.
None were seen lower down the river than Hidalgo, much to our won- der, for the conditions seem quite as favorable for them at Brownsville or Matamoras as at points above. In the absence of cliffs in the vicinity of Hidalgo, they adapt themselves to the eaves of the buildings in the town. Through the kindness of Sheriff Leo we occupied the court-house, and these Swallows were incessantly working and chattering about us from daylight until dark, and even in the night we could hear them in their nests. We had ample opportunity to observe their habits. They are gregarious in all their occupations. In collecting mud for their houses, the choice spots of their selection on the margin of the river are so thickly covered with them that often more than a hundred will be huddled on and over a space of two feet in diameter. The curious bottle-shaped nests were crowded so thickly together that little could be seen of them but their mouths. We endeavored to obtain a sample of the nests entire; but there was so much quicksand in the mud of which they were made that we found it impracticable to do so. None of the nests were lined. In some we found stones and bits of broken crockery, which had been thrown in by the boys before the nests were _ completed ; and yet the birds had laid their eggs among the rubbish. In making the nest, the first choice is a corner formed by wall, eaves, and rafter, very little labor, therefore, being necessary to make the re- maining side. This side or nest is made spherical, with the mouth and neck standing out some two inches from it. The next ones lap on to it, others lap on to them, and soon. As soon as a Shelf is formed large enough to hold the bird, it stands on it and works from within. The pair workin turn. To gather the eggs it is necessary to demolish a part of the nest, unless, as we sometimes found, eggs were laid before the nest was finished. In the completed nests, the clutch varied from four to seven; but in one extra large nest, which from its size and shape looked as if two birds occupied it in common, we took ten eggs. From the window of our sleeping-room we could watch the birds at their work without disturbing them, although but four feet distant from some of them. When we took the eggs, on May 7th, some were nearly ready to hatch, but most of them were fresh, and many birds were just beginning their nests.
The ground-color of the eggs is a dull white. The markings are brown and very variable. Some are speckled, others blotched; some regu- larly over the whole egg, and others with far the greater number of spots on the largerend. The longest egg was 0.90, the shortest 0.70; the broadest 0.60, and the narrowest 0.53. The average of fifty eggs is 0.80
by 0.56. | 389— 9 —5.75 x 11.50 x 4.12 x 1.88. May 7, Hidalgo.
16 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
AMPELIDA. AMPELIS CEDRORUM, (V.) Bd.—Cedar-bird.
At Lomita Ranche, some seven miles above Hidalgo, I was surprised to see a flock of birds alight in the top of a large tree over my head. It was rare, indeed, to see a flock of land birds other than Blackbirds, and even they, at that time of year, were scattered in pairs and busy with nests and eggs. Upon firing I was still further surprised to pick up our own familiar Cherry-bird. The day was hot, being about 100° Fabren- heit in the shade. I have shot the same bird at home when the ther- mometer indicated 12° below zero. These birds were in full plumage, and were the only ones seen.
400— g —7.37 x 12.00 x 3.75 x 2.37. May 8, Hidalgo.
VIREONID A.
VIREO OLIVACEUS, (L.) V.—Ked-eyed Vireo. Shot by the roadside in the woods. The only one secured. The eggs were well developed. 307— 9 —6.12 x 9.75 x 3.00 x 2.00. Apr. 30, Hidalgo. VIREO NOVEBORACENSIS, (Gm.) Bp.— White-eyed Vireo. Two birds of this species were shot in open chaparral, and were proba- bly migrating. We noticed none after March 27. 85— f —5.00 x 7.50 x 2.50 x 2.00. Mar. 26, Brownsville. — 91— 9 —5.00 x 7.38 x 2.25 x 2.00. Mar. 27, Brownsville.
VIREO BELLI, Aud.—Bell’s Vireo.
This single specimen Was shot seven miles from Hidalgo, in a small bush under an ebony-tvee. Of its habits I saw nothing. 394— $—5.25 x 7.25 x 2.12 x 1.88. May 8, Hidalgo.
LANID.
COLLURIO LUDOVICIANUS EXCUBITORIDES, (L.) Bd.—Loggerhead Shrike.
This variety was quite common in open places, but very shy. It was rarely seen in the dense chaparral or wooded districts, preferring the openings near towns and ranches or the prairies.
198— g —9.00 x 12.50 x 3.88 x 3.88. Apr. 9, Brownsville.
FRINGILLIDA. RHYNCHOPHANES* MACCOwnNI, (Lawr.) Bd.— McCown’s Bunting.
* (Baird, in 1858, it will be remembered, noted the non-agreement of the species with the characters of Plectrophanes proper, and made a new subgenus, Rhynchophanes, for its accommodation. I have lately found a prior notice to the same effect. Bonaparte had said in 1857, in his “Observations sur Diverses Espéces d’Emberiziens”’, etc., Rev. et Mag. de Zool. ix. 1857, 161 :—‘‘ Mais ce que nous n’avons pas dit encore, et que nous proclamons ici, c’est que le prétendu Plectrophanes maccowni Lawrence, Ann. Lye. N.- York, V, p. 122, du Texas oriental, n’est pas de celle Sous-famille, mais un Loxien du groupe des Montifringilles, trés-voisin de Rhodopechys phanicoptera.”—E. C.]
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 1%
I found these only about Galveston. They were in large flocks, and associated with them were HLremophila chrysolema, Southwestern Sky- lark, and Neocorys spraguii, Missouri Skylark. They frequented the sandy ridges adjoining the salt-marshes. In habits they reminded me of P. lapponicus, Lapland Longspur, as I saw them in Minnesota last year. When flushed, they dart from side to side, taking a swift, irregular course, never very high, and suddenly drop down among the grass-tussocks, with their heads toward you. They are so quiet and so much the color of their surroundings that they are seen with difficulty. They fly in such scattered flocks that a single discharge of the gun can seldom bring down more than one ortwo. That they extend farther south than the vicinity of Galveston I very much doubt, for we would, in all probability, have noticed them if they had been farther down the coast.
1— $ —6.37 x 11.25 x 3.50 x 2.25. Feb. 28, Galveston.
2— 9 —5.75 x 10.75 x 3.13 x 1.87. Feb. 28, Galveston. 3— ¢ —6.37 x 11.62 x 3.50 x 2.20. Feb. 28, Galveston.
PASSERCULUS SAVANNA, (Wils.) Bp.—Savanna Sparrow.
The several specimens secured were found on or near the ground, and mostly in old resaca beds, where tall grass abounds. I found none at all at Hidalgo, probably owing to the higher ground, distance from the — coast, and few openings.
299— $—5.50 x 9.25 x 2.75 x 2.00. Mar. 9, Brownsville. 66— 9 —5.25 x 8.25 x 2.62 x 2.00. Mar. 24, Brownsville. 72— g—5.60 x 9.25 x 2.75 x 2.00. Mar. 25, Brownsville. 109— g¢ —5.50 x 8.75 x 2.75 x 2.10. Mar. 29, Brownsville. 171— § —5.50 x 9.25 x 2.75 x 2.10. Apr. 7, Brownsville. 187— ¢ —5.75 x 9.00 x 2.75 x 2.10. Apr. 9, Brownsville.
POGCETES GRAMINEUS CONFINIS, (Gm.) Bd.— Western Grass Finch. Both of the specimens secured were shot in low bushes; one by the side of the road, and the other in the openings of the chaparral, among the cactus. From the nature of the country, all of the ground birds are extremely difficult to study or even shoot. The great abundance of im- penetrable thickets give them convenient and safe cover at all times. I will say here that during the whole trip not a single nest of the numerous small birds was found on the ground or in a low bush. It is worse by far than collecting on the Western prairies, for here one cannot even ride over or step near the nests to expose the eggs by flushing the bird.
185— ¢—6.60 x 10.90 x 3.35 x 2.75. Apr. 9, Brownsville. 301— 9 —6.25 x 10.50 x 3.10 x 2.50. Apr. 29, Hidalgo.
AMMODROMUS MARITIMUS, ( Wils.) Sw.—Seaside Finch.
We did very little shore collecting, owing to frequent changes of locality and inconveniences for preserving. Galveston was the only point where I shot this species; none, however, were prepared. I have no doubt that this bird, as well as A. caudacutus, Sharp-tailed Finch, resides the year round on the whole of the Texas coast.
Bull. iv. No. 1—2
18 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
MELOSPIZA LINCOLNI, (Aud.) Bd.—Lincoln’s Finch.
This bird was seen in small flocks about the low bushes in exposed places in the vicinity of Brownsville. Farther up the river I did not notice any. They were full of song, and rather shy, darting into the bushes at my approach.
136— g —6.00 x 8.10 x 2.50 x 2.00. Apr. 2, Brownsville. 146— § —5.75 x 8.00 x 2.40 x 225. Apr. 3, Brownsville. 211— $ —5.60 x 8.40 x 2.50 x 2.25. Apr. 17, Brownsville. 212— § —5.85 x 8.40 x 2.50 x 2.50. Apr. 17, Brownsville.
PEUCZA CASSINI,* (Woodh.) Bd.—Cassin’s Finch.
This shy Finch is quite common about Brownsville early in the season. Its colors render it almost invisible while at rest. At the first sight of man, it darts into the thickest of bushes, and is with difficulty frightened out. It is a sweet singer, and, when undisturbed, is usually perched on the topmost branches of low bushes. Its song, although not loud, is quite distinct from that of other birds, and once heard cannot be mis- taken. I did not meet with it above Brownsville.
188— g —6.25 x 8.50 x 2.60 x 2.60. Apr. 9, Brownsville. 189— ¢—6.25 x 8.25 x 2.55 x 2.50. Apr. 9, Brownsville.
AMPHISPIZA BILINEATA, (Cass.) Coues.—Black-throated Finch.
These beautiful little birds, almost as restless as the Titmnice, were found in all suitable localities on the Rio Grande. At the time I saw them they were always in pairs, and not at all shy, and I enjoyed watch- ing them exceedingly. I refraivea from shooting many, with a view to finding their eggs. Every few days I would visit certain localities, where I never failed to find the birds, but was quite unsuccessful in- finding their nests.
There is a bush on the Rio Grande, whose name [ could not learn, common in exposed and dry places, usually on barren knolls bordering the resacas, whose scanty leaves are so small that it at all times pre- sents a dull and lifeless appearance. It is this bush that the Black- throated Finches like to frequent. The male will sit on the top of a bush, four or five feet from the ground, and sing to his mate by the hour, she meanwhile flitting from bush to bush, as if her nest was near, though in no way manifesting any alarm. On the 6th of May I shot a nearly full-grown young, this showing that they begin to lay very early.
122—¢ —5.40 x 8.25 x 2.50 x 2.35. Mar. 31, Brownsville. 123— 9 —5.35 x 8.00 x 2.35 x 2.25. Mar. 31, Brownsville. 292— fg —5.60 x 8.25 x 2.50 x 2.35. Apr. 28, Hidalgo. 298— g —5.50 x 8.25 x 2.50 x 2.25. Apr. 29, Hidalgo.
381— g juv.—5.10 x 8.00 x 2.50 x 2.00. May 6, Hidalgo.
* [Important specimens, illustrating this good species in its purity. See the correction of the error I committed in the “ Key”, in Birds of the Nurthwest, p. 140.—E. ©. ]
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 19
SPIZELLA SOCIALIS, ( Wils.) Bp.—Chipping Sparrow.
3.25— § —5.25 & 9.25 x 2.75 x 2.50. May 1, Hidalgo. 3.63— 9 —5.35 x 8.50 x 2.65 x 2.30. May 4, Hidalgo.
SPIZELLA PALLIDA, (Sw.) Bp.—Clay-colored Sparrow.
The single specimen was shot in a low bush just outside of the village of Hidalgo. Nothing whatever noticed of its habits.
290— 9 —5.75 ¥ 8 x 2.25 x 2.50. Apr. 28, Hidalgo.
*ZONOTRICHIA LEUCOPHRYS, (Forst.) Sw.— White-crowned Sparrow. These birds were all in poor plumage, as they were undergoing their
spring moult. They were abundant about hedges, fences, and thickets, in company with C. grammica, Lark Finch. I did not take any var. inter- media, which takes the place of this species when it leaves for the North. I presume I could have obtained them before I left if I had not been occupied with other birds.
82— 9 —6.25 x 9.65 x 3.0 x 2.75. Mar. 26, Brownsville.
127— 9—8.00x 9.75 x 3.0 x 3.00. Mar.31, Brownsville.
128— 9 —7.00 x 9.75 x 3.0 x 2.75. Mar. 31, Brownsville. 137— 9 —7.25 x 10.00 x 3.1% 2.75. Apr. 2, Brownsville.
CHONDESTES GRAMMICA,* (Say) Bp.—Lark Finch.
I found this bird very common about Brownsville, but quite scarce farther up the river. Generally seen about. brush-fences and in meadows with scattered clumps of trees; sometimes in broken flocks, and again apparently in pairs. My first one was shot on the ground, where 1t seemed to be feeding alone. I frequently came upon companies of them on the ground. They were often seen in company with Z. leucophrys, White-crowned Sparrow. A large number of birds was taken, but only a few measured.
90— ¢ —6.50 x 11.00 x 3.50 x 2.75. Mar. 27, Brownsville. 132— g —6.85 x 11.25 x 3.75 x 2.75. Apr. 2, Brownsville.
EUSPIZA AMERICANA, (Gm.) Bp.—Black-throated Bunting.
These two birds were the only ones we happened to meet with, and they were shot in open woodland, in company with Blue Grosbeaks and Orioles.
314— 9 —6.00 x 9.75 x¥ 3x 2.25. Apr. 30, Hidalgo. 378— 9 —6.00 x 9.50 x 3x2.12. May 6, Hidalgo.
GONIAPHEA C@RULEA, (L.).—Blue Grosbeak.
Not very abundant, yet breeding all along the Lower Rio Grande. At Hidalgo, a pair was noticed continually about the river-bank. We were careful not to shoot them, and the citizens joined us in trying to
*(Stet grammica. I see no authority for the current form, ‘“ erammaca”.—E. C.]
20 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
find their nest. One day, by accident, I discovered it. About May 1st, several of us were coming along the beaten path from the ferry. I turned aside to take a short cut through the weeds, which grew nearly as tallas my head. Not more than ten feet from the path I came upon a partly overturned nest, containing four young. Their pin-feathers, though just started, showed deep blue on the wings. The nest was about four and one-half feet from the ground, and composed of grasses twined around the weed-stalks, after the manner of Blackbirds’ building. It was by no means firmly built nor tightly bound to the stalks, and some cattle had evidently nearly tipped the little household out. F righted the nest, bound it to a fresh stalk or two, and left it. All the time we were examining and working at the nest, the parents were sit- ting on a woodpile close by, showing no alarm whatever.
281— §—7.75 x 12.25 x 4.00 x 3.10. Apr. 26, Hidalgo.
303— § —7.25 x 11.25 x 3.50 x 2.85. Apr. 29, Hidalgo.
327— g —7.50 x 12.00 x 3.50 x 2.85. May 2, Hidalgo. 345— $ —7.25 x 11.65 x 3.50 x 3.00. May 3, Hidalgo.
CYANOSPIZA CIRIS, (L.) Bd.—Painted Finch.
April 25th, at Hidalgo, was the first we saw of this beautiful bird, after which we saw one or two daily. They were extremely shy. The speci- men obtained is remarkable, having every outward appearance of being a female, and yet being a male, with fully developed testicles. Two of us examined it with great care, and deliberated over the case; there- fore, there is no chance of a mistake.*
362— g¢ —6.50 x 9.00 x 2.75 x 2.40. May 4, Hidalgo.
CYANOSPIZA VERSICOLOR, (Bp.) Bd.— Western Nonpareil.
I did not obtain any specimens of this bird, but I saw and compared two fine males t+ shot by Dr. Merrill near Brownsville while I was up the river.
CYANOSPIZA CYANEA, (L.) Bd.—Indigo-bird.
I have tu note seeing a number of these beautiful and familiar birds on the Rio Grande, at a ranche, when our boat stopped for wood on April15th. While the crew were cutting the wood, I improved the delay by taking the gun and sauntering about. I must have seen at least a dozen of these birds, of both sexes. They persisted in either staying on the farther side of an impenetrable brush-fence or else out in the thicket over a swamp. To shoot them in either case would have been unprofitable, for I could not have recovered the birds. They were sing- ing very sweetly, and were the only ones I met during the trip.
* [The plumage is absolutely that of the mature female, to which sex any ornitholo- gist would refer the specimen without hesitation but for the author’s positive testi- mony to the contrary.—E. C.]
t See Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, ii. n. 4, 109, Oct. 1877.
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 21
PYRRHULOXIA SINUATA, Bp.— Texas Cardinal.
In the close vicinity of Brownsville, I found these birds quite abun- dant. I first met them while after some Cowbirds, Molothrus eneus, ina brush-fence, near the Catholic cemetery, and shot two females. One day, by following up the fences just without the city, one on each side, we obtained eleven, and out of the lot only one was a male. At Hidalgo, we met occasionally solitary pairs in the thickets away from habitations. Their habits I found to be much like those of the Cardinal Redbird, only they keep closer to the ground. We searched everywhere for their nests, but with no success. Out of over twenty specimens secured, there were only three males. I several times heard the whistle of the male, and I could readily distinguish it from the note of cardi- nalis. I found this species very shy; and when surprised, instead of flying boldly off to another bush, it would invariably dart toward the ground, and fly along the brush, behind some projection, or through the fence to the opposite side, so that a shot on the wing was out of the question. Their skins are extremely tender, and their skulls are ex- panded, so that great care must be observed in skinning, or ugly rents will be the result. That they breed along the Lower Rio Grande, there can be no doubt, and we may expect before long full accouuts of their breeding habits.
120— 9 —8.00 x 11.00 x 3.50 x 4.00. Mar. 31, Brownsville. 121— 9 —8.25 x 11.50 x 3.50 x 4.00. Mar. 31, Brownsville. 158— ¢ —8.50 x 11.75 x 3.75 x 4.00. Apr. 5, Brownsville. 159— 9 —8.25 x 11.50 x 3.50 x 3.75. Apr. 5, Brownsville. 235— g —8.50 x 11.50 x 3.65 x 3.85. Apr. 19, Hidalgo.
289— § —8.50 x 11.75 x 3.50 x 3.85. Apr. 28, Hidalgo. 360— 9 —8.25 x 11.00 x 3.40 x 4.00. May 4, Hidalgo.
CARDINALIS VIRGINIANUS, (Brisson) Bp.—Cardinal Redbird.
The habits of this familiar bird are too well known, both in the gar- dens of the South and in captivity, to need any further notice. So far, however, from finding them as tame on the Rio Grande as they are rep- resented to be elsewhere, the reverse is true. We found them quite common, yet very shy. A number of nests and sets of eggs were obtained. They were generally taken in dense thickets, some five feet from the ground; but we found one nest and two eggs, seven feet from the ground, in a bushy tree; and another, only two and one-half feet from the ground, in a thicket. First nest and three fresh eggs found April 28th. Their nests vary greatly, according to location; some are bulky, and others hardly more than would answer for a Carolina Dove. Spanish moss enters largely into the outside, together with twigs and leaves. The lining is composed of rootlets and pliant twigs, and some- times grasses also. The eggs are dull white, blotched and speckled all over, but more heavily at the larger end, with brown; generally the spots are lengthened, which gives the eggs the appearance of being streaked.
Be BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
The largest egg was 1.02 by 0.72; the smallest, 0.94 by 0.72; average size, 0.96 by 0.72. 74— § —8.15 x 11.25 x 3.50 x 3.50. Mar. 25, Brownsville. 92— g —8.25 x 11.50 x 3.65 x 4.00. Mar. 27, Brownsville. 164— ¢—8.00 x 11.75 x 3.60 x 4.00. Apr. 6, Brownsville. 192— ¢—8.75 x 11.40 x 3.40 x 4.00. Apr. 9, Brownsville. 218— 9 —8.25 x 11.25 x 3.40 x 3.75. Apr. 17, Hidalgo. 232— g—8.00 x 11.00 x 3.50 x 4.00. Apr. 19, Hidalgo. 237— ¢—8.75 x 11.00 x 3.60 x 4.00. Apr. 19, Hidalgo. 359— g¢ —9.00 x 11.50 x 3.50 x 4.25. May 4, Hidalgo. ¢ 364— 9 —8.00 x 10.75 x 3.25x 3.75, May 4, Hidalgo.
EMBERNAGRA RUFIVIRGATA, Lawr.—Green Finch.
I met this bird frequently, both in the vicinity of Brownsville and Hidalgo. It would take a long time to become well acquainted with the habits of this species, on account of its color being so little distin- guishable from the shade of the thickets which it frequents. I do not consider it shy. Ihave several times been obliged to retreat before Shooting, to save the bird from being blown to pieces. On May 5th, I spent two or three hours watching a Green Finch carrying grasses in its beak, but my patience was unrewarded with the sight of its nest. In addition to the two nests found last year,* Dr. Merrill writes me of find- ing others since I left. This demonstrates that they raise at least two broods within our limits, one in May and June, the other in August and September.
138— ¢ —6.50 x 8.50 x 2.40 x 2.50. Apr. 2, Brownsville. 165— $ —6.50 x 9.00 x 2.75 x 2.60. Apr. 6, Brownsville. 328— g —6.75 x 9.00 x 2.50 x 2.60. May 2, Hidalgo. 377— g —6.15 x 3.50 x 2.60 x 2.50. May 6, Hidalgo.
414— $ —6.50 x 8.75 x 2.60 x 2.75. May 10, Hidalgo. 417— 9 —6.00 x 8.75 x 2.45 x 2.50. May 11, Hidalgo.
ICTERID 4.
MOLOTHRUS ATER OBSCURUS, (Gm.) Coues.t—Dwarf Cowbird.
This bird made its appearance in force at Brownsville about April 1st, falling in at once with M. pecoris. and the troops of other Blackbirds. By the first of May, all of Wf. pecoris had gone north, and the Dwarf variety was abundant everywhere in its place. At the stable where I was in the habit of going for horses, they fairly swarmed, coming in at_ the open doorways with Quiscalus macrurus, Great-tailed Grackle, Scolecophagus cyanocephalus, Blue-headed Grackle, and Molothrus cneus, Red-eyed Cowbird. The Dwarf Cowbird was conspicuous among them all, hopping on, under, and all about the horses after food. Itis marked exactly like M. pecoris, but is very perceptibly smaller. Its habits are in every respect the same. I found one egg in a nest of Icterus bullocki, Bullock’s Oriole, and another in a nest of Icterus cucullatus, Hooded
*See Bulletin of Nuttall Orn. Club, i. 89, Nov. 1876. t Cf. Birds of the Northwest, 1874, 180.
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS, 23
Oriole. The eggs resemble those of M. pecoris, but are not so heavily speckled, and are smaller. Color dull white, with the faintest tinge of blue, and finely speckled with light brown, much more thickly at the larger end. The size of the largest egg is 0.80 by 0.60, the only one retained.
MOLOTHRUS ZNEUS, ( Wagl.) Cab.— Bronzed or Red-eyed Cowbird.
[Icterus aeneus, Licht. ‘‘ Mus. Berol.”
Psarocolius aeneus, Wagler, Isis, 1829, 758.—Bp. C. A. i. 1850, 426.
Agelaius eneus, Gray, ‘‘ Gen. of B. ii. 184-, 346”.
Molothrus aeneus, Cab. Mus. Hein. i. 1851, 192.—Scl. “P. Z. S. 1856, 300; 1859, 365, 381”.—S. & 8. “Ibis, 1860, 34”.—Scl. Cat. 1862, 135 (Mexico).—Giebel, Nomencl. Ay. 1875, 609.—Lawr. Bull. Nat. Mus. n. 4, 1876, 24 (Tehuantepec).— Merrill, Bull. Nuttall Club, i. 1876, 88 (introduced to U. 8S. fauna; Fort Brown, Texas;
d abundant).—Merrill, ibid. ii. 1877, 85 (habits).
Motothrus (Callothius) aneus, Cass. Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 18 (critical).—Gray, Handlist, ii. 1870, 37, n. 6509. Molothrus robustus, Cab. Mus. Hein. 1851, 193; “ J. f. O. 1861, 81”.
Has.—Mexico and Central America. Guatemala. Veragua. CostaRica. Yucatan. North to the Rio Grande.of Texas.
& ad. corpore toto cum capite aneo-atris, unicoloribus, alis cauddque nigris, viridi-violaceo- purpuratis. Long. tot. 8t; alw 42; caude 34. Q ad. minor, obscurior, ex toto niger, nec brunneus, sed vix nitens. Long. alw 44; caude@ 24.
g, adult: Entire body and head uniform black, splendidly lustrous with bronzy reflections, the tint very much like that of the back of Quiscalus purpureus var. wneus. This rich brassy-black is perfectly uniform over the whole bird, there being no distinc- tion of color between the head and body, so conspicuous in VM. ater. Wings and tail black, with violet, purple, and especially green metallic lustre on the upper surfaces. Under wing- and tail-coverts chiefly violaceous-black ; the purplish and violaceous tints are also most noticeable on the upper coverts of both wings and tail, the reflections of the quill-feathers themselves being chiefly green. Bill ebony-black. Feet black. “Tris red.” Length 8-83; extent about 11; wing 43-42; tail 24-34; bill 3% along culmen, very stout and especially deep at the base, much compressed, the lateral out- line concave, the under outline perfectly straight, the upper gently convex through- out, the tip very acute. :
notably smaller than the male; the wing scarcely over 4 inches, the tail under 3; culmen scarcely %. Color not brown, as in WM. ater 9, but uniformly quite black, with considerable gloss, though nothing like the brassy splendor of the male. Wings and tail with greenish reflections.
Young ¢: I have seen no very young birds. Early spring birds, in imperfect dress, are exactly like the adult 2 in color, but much larger.
This beautiful species of Molothrus cannot be confounded with the Common Cowbird. It much more nearly resembles Scolecophagus cyanocephalus, being of nearly or about the same size, and in fact might not be distinguished at first sight when flying about, unless in perfect dress, when the brassy lustre is conspicuous. The iris is red, that of Brewer’s Blackbird being yellow, and the bill is much stouter. There is no distinction whatever in color between the head and body, and the+bronzy tint is much that of some varieties of the Purple Grackle, contrasting strongly with the violaceous-green wings and tail. The bronzing is only on the ends of the feathers, the covered parts of which are violaceous-black, with plain dusky roots. Inthe breeding season, the males are said to present a peculiar puffy appearance of the fore parts, and some fullness of the plumage of these parts is recognizable in the prepared skins. The description is taken from specimens from Fort Brown, Texas.—E. C.]
24 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
This fine large Cowbird, so recently added to our fauna, is very abun- dant all along the Lower Rio Grande, and is easily distinguishable from the other members of the genus.. ‘The only Blackbird for which it could be mistaken at gunshot range, and with which it is intimately associated up to about May 1st, is Scolecophagus cyanocephalus, Blue-headed Grackle. In full plumage they are not so much alike as when immature. The iris. of M. ceneus is bright red, and can, upon acquaintance, be readily dis- tinguished from the bright lemon iris of S. cyanocephalus at quite a distance. They breed later than most of the family, and in habits are very similar to Mf. ater, our Common Cowbird. They had only com- menced to lay when I left. For a very complete account of their breed- ing habits I refer to an article by Dr. James C. Merrill, in the Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, ii. n. 4, 85, October, 1877.
115— ¢ —8.50 x 15.00 x 4.65 x 3.25. Mar. 30, Brownsville. 116— g —8.25 x 15.00 x 4.75 x 3.50. Mar. 30, Brownsville. 126— g¢—9.00 x 15.25 x 4.65 x 3.25. Mar. 31, Brownsville.
361— §—8.75 x 15.00 x 4.75 x 3.25. May 4, Hidalgo. 372— §—9.00 x 14.75 x 4.40 x 3.00. May 5, Hidalgo.
AGELAUS PHGNICEUS, (L.) V.—RKed-winged Blackbird.
I found this species breeding in great numbers along the Lower Rio Grande. They usually build their nests low, among the rank growth of weeds and willows that spring up in the resaca beds after the annual overflows of the river. One nest, however, I found at least twenty feet high in a mezquite-tree. It’was composed of bleached grasses and at- tached to a leaning branch; was partly pensile, and looked like a large nest of the Orchard Oriole, Icterus spurius. I was deceived into climb- ing for it. Hundreds of eggs were examined, and the only difference I — could see from those of the North was in size, the Southern eggs being smaller. In a large series of eggs taken, the longest was 0.99 of an inch and the shortest 0.80; the broadest 0.72 and the narrowest 0.63. The average length is 0.91 and breadth 0.67.
XANTHOCEPHALUS ICTEROCEPHALUS, (Bp.) Bd.—Yellow-headed Black- bird.
On April 25th, at Hidalgo, we first met these impudent birds, associated with Cowbirds and Blue-headed Grackles, on a fence in the centre of the village. Three specimens were shot, and for a few days thereafter we saw them in the vicinity, flying about with Redwings and Cowbirds, after which we saw them no more. I am told they are very abundant during the winter months.
~75— § —10.50 x 18.25 x 5.75 x 4.00. Apr. 25, Hidalgo. 276— g§ —10.25 x 17.00 x 5.50 x 4.00. Apr. 25, Hidalgo. 277— g—11.00 x 18.00 x 5.75 x 4.35. Apr. 25, Hidalgo.
STURNELLA MAGNA, (L.) Sw.—Field Lark.
Common on the prairies, and whenever we drove or rode through them numbers were seep. We did not obtain var. neglecta, although it is
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 25
undoubtedly common. Most of our time was spent among the timber, and the birds of the prairies were neglected. 86— 9 —9.00 x 15.00 x 4.00 x 2.60. Mar. 26, Brownsville.
ICTERUS SPURIUS, * (L.) Bp.—Orchard Oriole.
_ Common everywhere in open woodland or mezquite chaparral. It likes to build in mezquite, wesatche, and willow-trees. They are exactly like the Northern birds in plumage, and vary from them only in size, and it takes close measuring to tell one from the other. The nests are nearly always made of bleached grasses, wholly or partially pensile, and without lining. Eggs bluish-white, sometimes pure white, with spots and hieroglyphiecs on larger end of deep brown, almost black. Average size of eggs is 0.84 by 0.57. c 81— f —7.25 x 9.75 x 3.00 x 2.50. Mar. 26, Brownsville.
316— ¢—6.75 x 9.65 x 3.00 x 2.75. Apr. 30, Hidalgo.
317— § —6.75 x 9.75 x 3.00 x 2.75. Apr. 30, Hidalgo.
318— 9 —6.50 x 9.50 x 3.00 x 2.50. Apr. 30, Hidalgo.
319— 9 —6.65 x 9.50 x 3.00 x 2.75. Apr. 30, Hidalgo. 320— g¢ —6.50 x 9.40 x 3.00 x 2.50. Apr. 30, Hidalgo.
ICTERUS BULLOCKI, (Sw.) Bp.—Bullock’s Oriole.
So far as my experience went, this species was the rarest of the Ori- oles on the Rio Grande. Were I to compare the four kinds found there, I should say we saw twenty cucullatus, Hooded, to six spurius, Orch- ard, to four auduboni, Audubon’s, to one bullocki, Bullock’s. Most of my collecting and study of these .birds was at Hidalgo; but as a few miles of distance along the river is apt to show a change in the avi- fauna, it is possible that at other points this proportion would be decid- edly changed. Up tothe time we left Hidalgo (May 11th), I only found one nest (May 7th), and that contained four fresh eggs of this species and one of Molothrus ater obscurus, Dwarf Cowbird. The nest was situated about ten feet from the ground, between two small horizontal branches in the thick foliage of the tree, and was composed of dried grasses and Spanish moss in about equal proportion, with no lining. The eggs are white, speckled with reddish-brown quite thickly on larger end, but sparsely over the other parts. The measurements are 0.96 by 0.60, 0.91 by 0.61, 0.90 by 0.60, and 0.90 by 0.60.
205— g$ —8.50 x 12.50 x 4.00 x 2.75. Apr. 13, Brownsville.
344— ¢ —8.00 x 12.50 x 3.40 x 3.25. May 3, Hidalgo. 346— f —8.60 x 13.50 x 4.00 x 3.40. May 3, Hidalgo.
ICTERUS CUCULLATUS, Sw.—Hooded Oriole.
Very common in the vicinity, and among timbér of any respectable growth. I found it more plentiful than all the rest of the genus combined. Like all the Orioles, its colors vary greatly with age and season. But even in its best plumage, I think it looks better at a little
*[The breeding bird of this locality being referable to Mr. Lawrence’s Xanthornus afinis, the smaller Southern form.—E. C.1
26 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
distance, when its buttercup-colored hood contrasts well with its velvet- black mask. The birds are very active, and so full of song that the woods are filled with music all day long. The bills of these birds are more curved and pointed than the others, and admirably adapted for weaving the hair-like moss. Their usual nesting places are the hanging trusses of Spanish moss, everywhere provokingly abundant on the larger growth of trees. I have also found their nests on the lower limbs of trees and the drooping outer branches of undergrowth; but wherever found, the inevitable Spanish moss enters largely or wholly into their composition. So durable is this moss that it lasts for years, and as a consequence there are everywhere ten old nests to one new one. The heart of the moss when separated from its white covering becomes the ‘curled hair” of commerce. The Hooded Oriole takes this dry vegeta- ble hair, and ingeniously weaves it into the heart of a living truss of moss, making a secure and handsome home. I took one no higher than my head, and others thirty feet or more from the ground. They make a great ado when their home is invaded.
Their complement of eggs is four, but sometimes five are found. Color of eggs white, nearly covered with scattered fine brown spots, and at large end with larger blotches of the same. Their shape is more pointed at both ends than others of the family. Their average size is 0.83 by 0.60. The longest is 0.90 and shortest 0.81, while the breadth shows no variation to speak of.
62— § —8.00 x 10.50 x 3.50 x 3.85. Mar. 24, Brownsville. 135— g —8.25 x 10.50 x 3.25 x 3.75. Apr. 2, Brownsville. 143— § —8.00 x 10.50 x 3.50 x 3.75. Apr. 3, Brownsville. 144— 9 —8.00 x 10.25 x 3.25 x 3.50. Apr. 3, Brownsville. 145— 9 —8.00 x 10.00 x 3.25 x 3.50. Apr. 3, Brownsville. 239— 9 —7.50 x 9.90 x 3.15 x 3.00. Apr. 19, Hidalgo. 256— $ —7.75 x 10.50 x 3.25 x 3.25. Apr. 20, Hidalgo. 207— § —8.00 x 10.75 x 3.40 x 3.50. Apr. 20, Hidalgo. 288— 9 —7.75 x 10.50 x 3.25 x 3.25. Apr. 28, Hidalgo. 305— ¢ —8.25 x 10.50 x 3.15 x 3.85. Apr. 30, Hidalgo. 306— 2 —7.75 x 10.00 x 3.00 x 3.40. Apr. 30, Hidalgo.
ICTERUS AUDUBONI, Giraud.—Audubon’s Oriole.
This large Oriole cannot be said to be very abundanf on the Rio Grande, although it is by no means rare. I think it is by far more retir- ing in its habits than any other of the family. If I were to go in search of it I should seek a dense woods, near an opening, with plenty of under- growth, where also the Rio Grande Jay loves to dwell. It is a sweet singer, never very generous with its music, and only singing when un- disturbed. |
I remember once sitting in the edge of a woods, watching the move- ments of some Wrens just outside, the only sounds to be heard in the woods beiug the discordant notes of the Rio Grande Jay, when sud- denly, from over my head, there burst upon my ear a melody so sweet and enchanting that I sat entranced, and, listening, forgot allelse. I
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 27
soon discovered the whereabouts of the singer, and watched him as he flitted about from branch to branch, singing his wonderful song. I have no power to describe a bird’s song, least of all this Oricle’s.
I usually saw this species singly or in pairs; but once, in a woods full of dense undergrowth, I saw four or five quarrelling at a furious rate. After searching in vain for their nests, I at length shot one, but still they would not leave the place, and continued to scold and fight. After another bird was shot, they became quiet, and I saw no more of them. They were generally very shy, but at this time did not seem to care for me, and I was directed to them by their riotous proceedings. I did not secure any nests or eggs. These birds, like some others, are not so fine on close inspection, on account of the mingling of their colors, yellow, black, and green. They are sometimes sold as cage-birds; but for song and beauty, in their case, I would reverse the old adage, and say, “A bird in the bush is worth two in the hand.” Iregretted being obliged to leave them just as they had fairly begun laying.
141— §—10.00 x 13.00 x 4.25 x 4.50. Apr. 3, Brownsville. 204— 9 — 9.75 x 12.50 x 4.00 x 4.25. Apr. 20, Hidalgo. 386— § — 9.75 x 13.25 x 4.00 x 4.40. May 7, Hidalgo.
418— ¢— 9.50 x 13.00 x 4.10 x 4.25. May 11, Hidalgo. 419— g— 9.75 x 12.75 x 4.00 x 4.25. May 11, Hidalgo.
SCOLECOPHAGUS CYANOCEPHALUS, ( Wagl.) Cab.—Blue-headed Grackle.
Up to the first of May, this handsome Blackbird is abundant on the Lower Kio Grande, frequenting, with the other members of the family, streets, stables, and corrals in large numbers. About that time most of them leave for their great breeding places of the West. Many, however, remain to breed on our extreme southern border. I did not come upon their nests to know them, but I have a few sets that may prove to be theirs. The birds are easily distinguished from others of that section, if not alone by their steel-blue heads, certainly by their bright lemon- colored iris, which can be seen for a long distance. They are rather shy when breeding, but at other times under your very feet in the towns, though not quite so saucy as Q. macrurus, Great-tailed Grackle.
114— gf — 9.75 x 16.25 x 5.25 x 4.00. Mar. 30, Brownsville. 157— g¢ —10.25 x 16.75 x 7.25 x 4.25. Apr. 4, Brownsville.
QUISCALUS MACRURUS, Sw.—Great-tailed Grackle.
When I think of this bird, it is always with a smile. It is every- where as abundant on the Rio Grande as is Passer domesticus, English Sparrow, in our northern eities, and, when about the habitations, equally as tame. This bird is as much a part of the life of Brownsville as the barrelero rolling along -his cask of water or the mounted beggar going his daily rounds. In the towns or about the ranches, he knows no fear; is always noisy, never at rest, and in all places and positions; now making friends with the horses in the barns or the cattle in the fields, then in Some tree pouring forth his notes, which I can liken only
28 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
to the scrapings of a “cornstalk fiddle”; now stealing from porch or open window some ribbon for his nest, then following close behind the planter, quick to see the dropping corn. With all his boldness and curiosity, the boys of the streets say they cannot trap or catch him in asnare. He will take every bait or grain but the right one; he will put. his feet among all sorts of rags but the right ones: and the boys are completely outwitted by a bird. He performs all sorts of antics. The most curious and laughable performance is a common onewith him. Two males will take position facing each other on the ground or upon some shed, then together begin slowly raising their heads and twisting them most comically from side to side, all the time steadily eyeing each other, until their bills not only stand perpendicular to their bodies, but some- times are thrown over nearly to their backs. After maintaining this awkward position for a time, they will gradually bring back their bills to their natural position, and the performance ends. It is somewhat after the fashion of clowns’ doings in a circus, who slowly bend back- ward until their heads touch their heeis, then proceed to straighten up again. It is a most amusing thing to see, and seems to be mere fun for the bird, for nothing serious grows out of it.
With all their familiarity, I have seen these birds in the open cha- parral as wild and wary as other birds, knowing very well when out of gunshot range. Their flight is rather slow, and when they make an ascent it is labored; but once up, with their great tails and expanse of wing they make graceful descents.
As a general thing, they are gregarious in all their habits. Great numbers breed all along the river, usually in scattered colonies, similar to Redwings, but their nests are higher, and not often near the water. The ebony is a favorite tree for them to breed in; and wherever these trees exist in towns or about ranches they are always occupied with nests of these birds, sometimes in great numbers. My first eggs were taken from an ebony-tree near our room, in which were six or eight nests. They were found in great numbers in the young willows and rank undergrowth of the resacas; and in the great “‘heronry” in the salt-marshes, half-way between Brownsville and the coast, we obtained many eggs. We found their nests about two feet above the water in the rushes, and from four to thirty feet above the ground when in trees. They are shaped like those of our familiar Purple Grackle, Q. pur- pureus, and not much larger. They are composed of grasses principally; but, when convenient, papers, rags, feathers, anything, are woven in, and not infrequently mud is thrown in, as if to weight it down. Just how far north of the Rio Grande this species reaches, I cannot tell. On the northern end of Padre Island, at Corpus Christi Pass, I saw them in abundance, and about Corpus Christi also. No Quiscalus major, Jack- daw, was secured. ‘The first eggs were taken April 25th. In shape they are very oblong, rounded at one end and pointed at the other, with the greatest diameter much nearer oneend. The ground-color is usually of
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 29
a greenish-white, clouded with purplish-brown from the small end as far as the centre, and sometimes over the whole egg. The markings are of a very dark brown, chiefly at the small end, and consist of pen- cillings, drops, and splashes irregularly and grotesquely put on. Of a very large series of eggs, the largest was 1.40 by 0.95, and the smallest 1.12 by 0.87, with an average of 1.27 by 0.87. The narrowest egg, 0.83, was next to the longest, being 1.39, thus showing great variation in shape. '
37— g —18.00 x 23.50 x 7.75 x 9.00. Mar. 15, Corpus Christi Pass.
117— $—18.00 x 23.25 x 7.75 x 9.00. Mar. 30, Brownsville.
118— 9 —14.00 x 19.25 x 6.00 x 6.00. Mar. 30, Brownsville.
129— $ —18.50 x 23.50 x 7.65 x 9.00. Mar. 31, Brownsville.
130— ¢ —18.50 x 24.00 x 7.75 x 9.00. Mar. 31, Brownsville.
1381— 9 —13.50 x 18.00 x 5.65 x 6.00. Mar, 31, Brownsville.
CORVIDA.
XANTHURA LUXUOSA, (Less.) Bp.—Rio Grande Jay.
This is the only representative of the family seen on the trip. It was first met with on April 2d, in the vicinity of Brownsville; but it was not until we reached the heavier timber about Hidalgo that we saw it in full force. They were there April 17th in pairs, and busy constructing homes. They are most frequently seen during the breeding season in the densest woods and thickets, but at other times Lam told they are common visit- ors of the camp, the ranche, and the huts in the outskirts of towns, to the annoyance of all on account of their thieving propensities. They are not very shy, even when breeding, and I had no difficulty in obtain- ing all I desired. Only once, however, was I able to shoot two at once. I caught none in the act of destroying eggs and young of other birds, although I have some very strong circumstantial evidence of such being the case. As the only account I have seen of the finding of these nests and eggs within our border was given by Dr. Merrill * (by the way, they were obtained in this same locality last year), and as I am also fortunate in obtaining and thoroughly identifying quite a number of sets, I shall risk being tedious, and give copious notes.
My first nest was taken April 28th, from a mezquite-tree standing in a dense thicket not far from the river-bank, and contained four fresh eggs. It was situated in a fork about fifteen feet from the ground, and was composed of sticks lined with fine stems, and a rather bulky affair. Both birds were seen, and one shot. I made the boy that was with me understand that I wanted more eggs of the same kind. He professed per- fect familiarity with “‘ Pajaro verde”, and, much to my surprise, brought me before night two sets, one of four, fresh, and one of three, hard incu- bated. He said both were found in small trees, and were situated about twice as high as his head, which would be nine or ten feet from the ground. On April 30th, I flushed a Red-billed Pigeon, Columba flaviros-
*See Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, i. n. 4,89, Nov. 1876.
30 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
tris, from its nest, and, when I shot it,a Green Jay flew from its nest in the very direction of my bird. Here indeed was a double find of no ordinary occurrence. I secured both nests, and both birds of each nest in good shape, and in avery short time. The nest of the Jay was some nine feet from the ground on the outer branches of a small tree, and composed wholly of sticks and fine twigs. The sticks were so full of thorns that when they were crossed about among the lining branches more firmness was given to the nest than usual, and by cutting off the branches I could readily take it entire. The outside diameter is nine inches one way by eight the other; its depth four inches; inside, three and a half inches wide by two inches deep. The four eggs which it held contained chicks, and I saved only three. On May Ist, a set of four was secured, one of which contained large chicks. On May 2d, we found another nest with four eggs, hard incubated. Both birds were shot. This nest was some ten feet from the ground in the outer branches of a small tree, on the edge of a large tract of timber. It was composed of stems and twizs like the others, rather bulky, and by cutting off the branches could be saved. On May 6th, two fresh eggs were brought me by a Mexican. On May 8th, I discovered another nest not far from where I found the one on April 30th. The nest, only eight feet from the ground, was built close to the body of a small tree among some small branches, and was composed of twigs as usual, but it was not as large as the others. It contained two chicks just out, and one whole egg about ready to hatch. I took the egg, but could hardly retain its shape. The shape of the egg is very Similar to Cyanurus cristatus, Blue Jay, with the same variations from double-pointed to double-rounded. The ground-color is usually light — drab, tinged faintly with green, but I have one egg out of a set of four with the color dull yellowish-white. The markings are brown, some- times distinctly spotted or speckled or streaked, and sometimes quite indistinct and clouded. The larger end has generally the heaviest mark- ings. From nineteen eggs I have the following sizes:—The longest measures 1.20 by 0.82. The shortest is 1.02 by 0.80. The broadestis 1.16 by 0.87 and the narrowest is 1.07 by 0.73. The average is 1.10 by 0.79.
139— g —12.05 x 15.25 x 4.85 x 5.50. Apr. 2, Brownsville.
203— 9 —11.50 x 14.75 x 4.65 x 5.25. Apr. 10, Brownsville.
204— ¢ —11.50 x 14.50 x 4.50 x 5.50. Apr. 10, Brownsville.
285— 9 —11.25 x 14.25 x 4.50 x 4.85. Apr. 27, Hidalgo.
293— g¢—11.75 x 15.50 x 4.85 x 5.25. Apr. 28, Hidalgo.
321— 9 —11.50 x 14.75 x 4.50 x 5.00. Apr. 30, Hidalgo.
322— gf —12.00 x 15.25 x 5.00 x 5.50. Apr. 30, Hidalgo.
332— g—11.75 x 15.50 x 4.65 x 5.50. May 2, Hidalgo.
3338— Q —11.50 x 15.50 x 4.50 x 5.50. May 2, Hidalgo. 356—Q —11.85 x 15.00 x 4.75 x 5.65. May 3, Hidalgo.
TYRANNIDA.
MILVULUS FORFICATUS, (Gm.) Sw.—Swallow-tailed Flycatcher.
These beautiful birds had just arrived on the Rio Grande from Mexico when we reached Brownsville. The sparsely wooded openings in the
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 31
chaparral, and the pastures, with scattered clumps of bushes and trees, in the vicinity of the town, are admirably adapted to the wants of the ‘‘Scissor-tails”. I found them as abundant as the Kingbirds, T. caroli- nensis, on the borders of the great lakes. Both sexes are alike, excepting that the female has much the shorter tail. We saw very few indeed at Hidalgo, owing to the great abundance of woods and chaparral; conse- quently we missed collecting theireggs. From a set and nest given me by Dr. Merrill I give the following description :—The nest was taken in a tree in front of the hospital at Fort Brown. It is composed of weeds, rags, and strings, in layers, and lined with a few rootlets and wool. Outside it is four and a half incbes wide by two and three-fourths inches deep ; inside, two and three-fourths inches wide by two inches deep. The five eggs are pure white, with a few large blotches over the larger half. They average 0.86 by 0.68.
67— § —14.25 x 15.00 x 5.00 x 9.50. Mar. 24, Brownsville. \ 68— g¢—14.25 x 15.50 x 5.12 x 9.50. Mar. 24, Brownsville. 69— g¢ —13.50 x 15.50 x 5.00 x 8.75. Mar. 24, Brownsville. 73— ¢ —14.50 x 15.50 x 4.85 x 9.50. Mar. 25, Brownsville. 78— $¢—13.50 x 15.50 x 4.75 x 8.50. Mar. 25, Brownsville. 79— 9 —12.00 x 14.75 x 4.50 x 7.00. Mar. 25, Brownsville. 80— 9 —11.25 x 14.75 x 4.50 x 6.00. Mar. 25, Brownsville. 125— g¢—14.50 x 15.75 x 5.00 x 9.00. Mar. 31, Brownsville. 150— ¢—14.00 x 15.75 x 4.90 x 8.75. Apr. 3, Brownsville. 191— 9 —11.75 x 15.00 x 4.65 x 6.50. Apr. 9, Brownsville. 215— 9 —11.00 x 14.50 x 4.75 x 5.75. Apr. 17, Hidalgo. 374— 9 —11.50 x 15.00 x 4.65 x 6.75. May 5, Hidalgo.
TYRANNUS CAROLINENSIS, (L.) Bd.—Kingbird.
On the 8th of May, at Lomita Ranche, a few miles from Hidalgo, I shot the only one of this species seen. It was in company with Couch’s Flycatchers, Tyrannus couchi, on the topmost branches of the tall ebony- trees near the buildings of the ranche.
401— ¢—9.00 x 15.10 x 4.50 x 3.50. May 8, Hidalgo.
TYRANNUS MELANCHOLICUS COUCHI, (Bd.) Cowes—Couch’s Flycatcher. On May 8th, I saw a number of this species at Lomita Ranche, on the ebony-trees. Three were shot, but only one secured, the others being lost in the tall grass and thickets. At this point is the finest grove of ebonies I saw on the river. On the hillside, back of the buildings, they overlook the large resaca, then filled with tasselled corn. It was the tops of these grand old trees that these Flycatchers loved, and so persistent were they in staying there that I thought they were going to settle in the neighborhood for the season. There was a company of some six or eight scattered about. I did not find them shy, for after our firing they would almost immediately return to the same trees. It was readily distinguishable from T. carolinensis, which was shot in their company. Their greater size and bright yellow under parts can be seen
at gunshot range. 393— ¢—9.75 x 15.65 x 4.50 x 3.75. May 8, Hidalgo.
32 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
MYIARCHUS CRINITUS, (L.) Cab.—Great-crested Flycatcher.
While this bird was not very common, yet we came upon it occasion- ally. Nearly always seen in the open chaparral, in which one can leave the main travelled road, either on foot or horseback, and work around among the undergrowth and scattering, old, stunted trees.
240— 9 —8.25 x 13.00 x 4.00 x 3.50. Apr. 19, Hidalgo. 420— 9 —8.50 x 12.75 x 4.00 x 3.50. May 11, Hidalgo.
MYIARCHUS CRINITUS ERYTHROCERCUS, (Sel. & Salv.) Coues.
[? Tyrannula irritabilis, Bp. C. A.i. 1850, 189. (Supposed to belong here from quotation of Azara. “South America.” Not Tyrannus irritabilis Vieill.)
Myiarchus crinitus var. irritabilis [‘“ Vieill.”], Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. July, 1872, 65. (Monographie. Quotation of Vieillot inapplicable.)—B. B. & R.N. A. B. ii. 1874, 331. (Not Tyrannus irritabilis Vieill.)
? Tyrannula mexicana, Kaup, P. Z.S.1851,51. (Searcely or not determinable; better not be used for any species. )
Myjiarchus erythrocercus, Scl. & Salv. P. Z. 8. 1868, 631, 632 (Venezuela).
Pyrocephatlus (Myiarchus) crythrocercus, Gray, Handl. n. 5522.
Myiarchus mexicanus, Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. ix. 1869, 202 (Yucatan).
Myiarchus yucatanensis, Lawr. Pr. Phila. Acad. 1871, 235 (Yucatan. Name applied to the same specimen he called mexicanus in 1869.)
Has.—Central and South America and Mexico. South to Paraguay. North to the Rio Grande of Texas (Sennett).
Cu.— WV. crinito simillimus, sed notwo obscuriore (minus vegeto), gastro dilutiore, ab- domine subflavo, gula et pectore pallidé cinereis, rectricibus rufo et fusco feré dimidiatis, rostro nigro, modico (0.75).
Chars. subsp.—(Description of a specimen collected May 9, 1877, at Hidalgo, Texas, by G. B. Sennett.)—On comparing this bird with typical specimens of WV. crinitus, taken at the same time, in the same place, and by the same person, it is immediately perceived to be different. The lateral tail-feathers have a stripe of fuscous-brown on the inner web adjoining the shaft, this stripe equalling or exceeding the width of the whole outer web of the respective feathers; whereas in crinitus there is only the narrowest possible dusky stripe on the inner web, or none at all. This dusky stripe is of uniform width throughout, not enlarged at the end to occupy most or all of the feather, as is the case with cinerascens. The entire upper parts are darker than those of crinitus—that is, they have a sordid brownish-olive cast, instead of the clearer and purer greenish-olive of crinitus. The yellow of the belly is much paler. The ash of the throat is decidedly lighter and clearer, and it comes farther down the breast, yielding to the yellow with- out the intervention of the olivaceous pectoral area which is usually conspicuous in crinitus. The general aspect of the under parts is much as in cinerascens, both the dis- tribution and shade of the colors being more as witnessed in the latter than as seen in crinitus. The light edgings of the wing-feathers are also paler than those of crinitus. The bill is black, not dark brown, slenderer than in crinitus, but not longer than in one of the Texas specimens of crinitus, and, in fact, differing less from one of these than these do from each other. The bill in size is nothing like that of var. cooperi, nor has it the very constricted shape of that of cinerascens.
In fine, this bird is obviously different from ordinary crinitus of the United States. The general body-coloration is almost exactly as in cinerascens, from which it is at once distinguished by the different shape of the bili and different pattern of the tail-feath- ers. Agreeing very closely in colors with var. cooperi of Mexico, it is smaller than that species, and lacks in particular the enormous development of the bill, which, in cooperi, is an inch or more in length of culmen, and proportionately broad. It is clearly neither crinitus proper, nor crinitus var. cooperi, nor yet cinerascens.
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 338
Length 8%; extent 122; wing 34; tail 33% (collector’s measurements in the flesh) ; bill 0.75; tarsus 0.85 ; middle toe and claw 0.75.
This is the bird I called crinitus var. irritabilis in my monograph above cited, where I carefully distinguished it from its allies, and is also the bird distinguished with equal pains and accuracy by Mr. Ridgway, who adopted the same name for it. In choosing this name, I relied upon Bonaparte’s reference of Vieillot’s Tyrannus irritabilis to the Paraguayan bird described by Azara; but it appears from Dr. Sclater’s published criticism, and also from a private note which he kindly sent me, that Bonaparte was wrong in this matter, Vieillow’s irritabilis being really a synonym of crinitus, as usually cited. The first name which may belong here is the Tyrannula mexicana of Kaup—a perpetual stumbling-block, which has occasioned so much confusion that I will have nothing to do withit. Ina word, it is impossible to identify Kaup’s bird among the species of so difficult a group as this. It has been successively applied to every one of the Mexican Myiarchi, even to the small WM. lawrencii, and by so accom- plished an ornithologist as Dr. Sclater himself. Baird made it out to be the bird we now know as cinerascens Lawr., and his procedure was endorsed for many years by United States’ writers. Sclater later, from examination of the type-specimen, consid- ered Kaup’s mexicana applicable to the large-billed form which Baird called cooperi. Mr. Lawrence, in 1869, applied the name mexicana to a Yucatan specimen of the very bird we are now considering, which he afterward, however, renamed yucatanensis, in deference to Dr. Sclater’s statement that mexicana was the same as coopert of Baird. These and other synonymatic points are fully discussed in my monograph.
Passing over irritabilis as being a synonym of crinitus,’and mexicana as being some- thing past finding out, unless it be var. cooperi, the first unquestionable and only tena- ble name of the present bird appears to be erythrocercus of Sclater and Salvin, which I accordingly adopt.
It is somewhat a matter of surprise that this particular variety of Myiarchus should occur in the United States, rather than the layge-billed var. cooperi; but there is no reasonable question of the accuracy of my identification, which receives the support of Mr. Ridgway, who examined the bird with me. Var. cooperi seems to be a localized form of Southern and Western Mexico and contiguous portions of Central America. Var. erythrocercus has a very wide range in Central and South America. I have exam- ined undoubted specimens from as far south as Paraguay, and others from Venezuela and Yucatan, whence the types of erythrocercus and yucatanensis were respectively derived, as well as from Costa Rica and Guatemala; but I have never seen a Mexican skin, nor has the species been ant to Mexico so far as I recoilect, unless Kanp’ 8 bird belongs here.
I learn from Mr. Sennett, and from another private source, that Dr. Merrill was really the first to secure this bird within the limits of the United States; but no record to such effect has appeared to date.—E. C.]
It was shot in open chaparral, and nothing was learned of its habits. Tris hazel.
409— 9 —8.75 x 12.75 x 3.90 x 3.65. May 9, Hidalgo. ConToPuS VIRENS, (L.) Cab.— Wood Pewee.
But a single bird obtained, and no others recognized. It was shot by the roadside, near the camp at Hidalgo. I cannot account for the few small Flycatchers, Vireos, and Warblers seen along the river.
331— 2 —6.50 x 10.00 x 3.10 x 2.50. May 2, Hidalgo.
EMPIDONAX MINIMUS, Bd.—Least Flycatcher.
I saw but this single specimen, which was obtained at Lomita Ranche. Ball. iv. No. 1—3
34 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
It was shot from alow bush under a tree, where it was seen flitting - back and forth after insects. 398— 2 —5.50 x 8.10 x 2.35 x 2.10. tae 8, Hidalgo.
PYROCEPHALUS RUBINEUS: MEXICANUS, (Scl.) Coues.— Vermilion Fly. catcher.
This little beauty must be a very rare bird on our Southern border. If it were otherwise we should have seen much more of it, for it fre- quents just such places as we were in the habit of visiting almost daily, and its brilliant colors would certainly assist us in observing it. The few that we met with were rather shy and restless. At sight of us, they darted from one clump of bushes to another, keeping from four to six feet from the ground. The first male I shot was winged, and when caught fought with all the courage of its larger relatives.
113— ¢—6.00 x 10.75 x 3.25 x 2.50. Mar. 29, Brownsville.
166— § —6.10 x 10.50 x 3.25 x 2.50. Apr. 6, Brownsville. 315— 9 —6.00 x 10.09 x 3.25 x 2.50. Apr. 30, Brownsville.
CAPRIMULGIDA.
NYCTIDROMUS AMERICANUS, (.) Cass.
I was prepared to meet this bird, both by the account* of its discov- ery within our limits last year by Dr. Merrill, and by bis personal deserip- tion of it before my going up the river from Brownsville. Although I frequently heard it at night, yet I never saw it in the twilight, as I did Chordeiles texensis, the Texas Nighthawk. I saw them occasionally, singly and in pairs, about the thickets and open chaparral, and once in the canebrakes close to the woods. Although they lie close until one is full upon them, yet one has no chance after they are flushed, for they - are no sooner out of one thicket than they are into or behind another. I refrained from making too much of an effort to shoot them until I should obtain their eggs; therefore, of the dozen or more seen I have yet to take the bird in hand. On April 25th I found one egg of this species ; on May Ist, another; and on May 10th, two more, all of them fresh and perfect. They were found in open brush, on the bare ground. One of them was partly concealed by the branches of a low bush six or eight inches from the ground. Of thefour eggs found I retain but two, which I describe. One egg is a rounded oval, and the other a pointed oval. The color is a rich creamy-buff. One is marked sparsely all over with indistinet spots of pink, and the other is thickly spotted and seratched with the same. One egg measures 1.28 by 0.92, the other 1.20 by 0.93 of an inch.
CHORDEILES TEXENSIS, Lawr.— Texas Nighthawk. This bird is common on the Mexican border, at evening flitting around the habitations and by day sitting around the open mezquite chaparral.
*[See Bull. of the Nutt. Ornith. Club, i. n. 4, 88, Nov. 1876.—Having seen no speci- mens, I take the name from Cass. Pr. Phila. Acad. 1851, 179, and Cab. Mus. Hein. iii. 1850, 92.—E. C.]
SENNETI ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 385
They were quite irregular, some evenings coming in large numbers and then again in few. Their habits are similar to C. virginianus, the Com- mon Nighthawk. By their being ten times as abundant as Nyctidromus albicollis, one would suppose we would find many of their eggs, but we found none. The eggs are just the color of the ground, and the bushes are too thick to mark exactly where the bird leaves when flushed. A set of eggs given me by Dr. Merrill has the ground-color gray, on which are fine spots and scratches of drab over the entire surface. With these markings are clouded or indistinct ones of the same design. The shape is elliptical. One egg measures 1.04 by 0.78, and the other 1.05 by 0.78.
230— 9 —8.75 x 20.75 x 6.90 x 4.00. Apr. 18, Hidalgo. 245— § —9.00 x 22.00 x 7.50 x 4.60. Apr.19, Hidalgo. 246— § —8.75 x 22.00 x 7.50 x 4.10. Apr. 19, Hidalgo. 247— 9 —8.50 x 21.00 x 7.25 x 4.00. Apr. 19, Hidalgo. 295— $—8.50 x 20.50 x 7.00 x 3.90. Apr. 28, Hidalgo. 296— 9? —8.65 x 21.00 x 7.10 x 4.10. Apr. 28, Hidalgo. 300— 9 —8.75 x 21.50 x 7.25 x 4.25. Apr. 29, Hidalgo. 368— ¢—8.50 x 20.25 x 6.65 x 4.00. May 5, Hidalgo.
TROCHILID A.
TROCHILUS COLUBRIS, L.— Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
Of the two birds secured, one was shot while hovering about a blossom- ing tree, the other over flowers near the ground ; both were females.
231— 9 —3.25 x 4.50 x 1.75 x 1.12. Apr. 19, Hidalgo. 397— 9 —3.75 x 4.00 x 1.75 x 1.15. May 8, Hidalgo.
AMAZILIA CERVINIVENTRIS, Gould.—Rufous-bellied Hummingbird.
[As descriptions of this species are not very generally accessible, the following, taken from Mr. Sennett’s specimen, is inserted :-—
Sp. cH.—Male. Upper parts shining golden-green, nearly uniform from head to tail, but top of the head rather darker, and with a reddish gloss in some lights, and upper tail-coverts somewhat shaded with reddish. Metallic gorget of great extent, reaching fairly on the breast, glittering green when viewed with the bill of the bird pointing toward the observer, dusky green when seen in the opposite direction. Less scintillating and more golden-green feathers extend a little farther on the breast and sides, and most of the under wing-coverts are similar. Belly and under tail-coverts dull rufous or pale cinnamon, relieved by flocculent snowy-white patches on the flanks. Wings blackish, with purple and violet lustre; all the primaries broad, and noi pecu- liar in shape, though the outermost is narrower and more falcate than the rest. Tail large, forked about one-third of an inch; alFthe feathers broad, with simply rounded tips (no special emargination); color intense chestnut, having even a purplish tinge when viewed below, the middle feathers glossed with golden-green, especially noticeable at their ends, and all the rest tipped and edged for some distance from their ends withdusky. Tarsi appearing feathered nearly to the toes, but really naked except - at the top in front. No lengthened ruffs or tufts about the head; no metallic scales on top of head, different from those of the upper parts at large; no special head-mark- ings additional to the colors already described. Bill light-colored, probably flesh- colored in life, with the tip! 1nd commissural edge of the upper mandible dusky, quite broad and flattened at base, thence gradually tapering to the acuminate tip, slightly bent downward, the curve most noticeable just back of the middle. Nasal scale large and tumid; nasal slit entirely exposed ; feathers extending in a point on the sides of
36 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
the culmen, sweeping obliquely across the basal part of the nasal scale, and forming at the angle of the mouth a deep reéntrance with those of the chin, which reach much farther forward on the interramal space. Size large; length 44; extent 53; wing 24; tail 14, forked about $; bill 4.—E. C.]
This is the second specimen of this species obtained within our limits, the first having been taken the previous year by Dr. Merrill.* This one was shot while hovering over wild flowers near the ground, among cactus and low bushes, not far from Brownsville. J saw a number of Hummers differing from these, but I could not get them, and did not make them out. It is difficult in this country to follow and secure large birds, much more these tiny creatures.
89— gf —4.50 x 5.65 x 2.35 x 1.50. Mar. 27, Brownsville.
ALCEDINID A.
CERYLE ALCY oN, (Z.) Boie.-—Belted Kingfisher.
While at Brownsville, I saw several of this species about the lagoons a few miles back from the river. They are by no means abundant.
CUCULIDZ.
GEOCOCCYX CALIFORNIANUS, (Less.) Bd.—Chaparral Cock.
I saw this singular bird for the first time at Corpus Christi, but after- ward found it common on the Rio Grande. At first I was unable to shoot them; but as I became more familiar with them I had no difficulty in securing all I wished. They are not wholly a ground bird, as has been said. They take to wing when alarmed, and frequently of their own accord. I have seen a pair fly from the edge of water to the woods, a distance of over a hundred yards, where they had an equal chance of getting out of sight by running. I saw two fly into a mezquite-tree, and shot one of them when it was at least ten feet from the ground. They invariably breed in trees or bushes. That they are good runners there is no doubt; but their powers in this direction, I think, have been overestimated. An examination of the feet of a large number of birds will show that they are used much more on the ground than in perch- ing, yet it seems quite an effort for them to curl up the ends of the toes. The only sound I ever heard this bird make was what I supposed to be a call for its mate. I happened once to hear one around the bend of an unfrequented road in the woods in which I was strolling. I stood perfectly still, and it soon made its appearance, coming toward me, but still a long way off. It would run a few yards, calling at the same time, stop, listen for a few seconds, holding up its head in a very conceited way, and then start on again, calling. It seemed unconscious of my . presence, and came so near to me that I could easily have shot it with the smallest charge, but I did not, as I wished to see if its mate would come. However, she did not. These birds are very fond of lizards, so common to this region. I have seen one jump several feet to catch a
*See Bulletin of Nuttall Orn. Club, ii. n. 1, 26, Jan. 1877.
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 37
lizard sunning itself on a bush, and have shot others while engaged in eating them on the ground. Of their breeding habits there seems to be little known, and reports vary. As I was fortunate enough to find their nests, I will give the details, hoping to settle doubts. My first nest of this species I found near Hidalgo, on April 27th, in a tree sur- rounded by high, thorny bushes. It was a frail nest, composed of sticks and weeds, and lined with loose grasses. It was situated eight feet from the ground, in a broad crotch, close to the body of a tree, and con- tained nine eggs. A majority of them were fresh, but a few showed that incubation had taken place. The next nest was found April 28th, in a junco-bush, very near the village of Hidalgo. It was set in the thick mass of thorns, away from the body of the bush; was about five feet from the ground, composed of sticks and grasses, and contained one egg. Jt was visited for several-days, but we could perceive no warmth to the egg, nor were others added to it. On May 3d, we took the egg, conclud- ing that its parent had been shot. On May 4th, a nest containing four perfectly fresh eggs was found, about six feet from the ground, in a small tree in a very dense thicket. This was so far out of town, and in such a wild and unfamiliar section, that I dared not leave it for fear that I should not find it again. On the same day, I watched for some time a bird of this species carrying sticks for its nest, and although I could locate the thicket into which it took them, yet I could not penetrate it, although I tried several timesthereafter. On May 9th, two perfectly fresh eggs were brought me by a Mexican, which he had taken from a nest in a bush. The depression of any nest was seldom deeper than the width of the egg. The first nest, with clutch of nine, could have held but two or three more eggs comfortably. From the fact that the nine eggs were warm when I found them, it is reasonable to suppose that the bird had begun to sit; and as none of them showed much development of em- bryo, she could not have been a very long time at it. The natives told me stories about these birds beginning to sit from the time they com- mence to lay, and continuing to sit throughout tlie season; that a large number of eggs are laid, and a considerable time intervening between the laying of any two; as a consequence, the bird of the first egg would become fully grown before the last egg of the season was laid. On May 20th, as I was about taking the steamer at Point Isabel, a boy brought me a young one of this species about one-fourth grown, the first and only chick seen by me. I put no faith in the stories mentioned above, nor in accounts of these birds attacking and mastering the large rattle- snakes of the country. From my observations, their complement of eggs is from eight to twelve. The eggs are very uniform in shape and size, double-rounded ; rarely one is found with tendency toward a point. Length varies from 1.57 to 1.42; breadth from 1.23 to 1.20; average of — the sixteen eggs before me is 1.50 by 1.21. Color pure white. 106— g —23.00 x 21.50 x 7.00 x 11.50. Mar. 29, Brownsville.
261— 2 —22.00 x 20.00 x 6.50 x 10.50. Apr. 20, Hidalgo. 273— 9 —21.25 x 19.50 x 6.25 x 10.00 Apr. 25, Hidalgo.
38 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
286— 9 —21.50 x 20.00 x 6.85 x 10.75. Apr. 27, Hidalgo. 358— 9 —21.50 x 20.00 x 6.50 x 10.50. May 4, Hidalgo. 366— 9 —21.00 x 19.50 x 6.25 x 9.75. May 5, Hidalgo. 382— g —22.00 x 20.00 x 6.50 x 10.25. May 6, Hidalgo. 405— 9 —21.00 x 20.00 x 6.10 x 10.00 May 8, Hidalgo. COCcCYGUS AMERICANUS, (L.) Bp.— Yellow-billed Cuckoo.
I met this species occasionally. Several sets of eggs were brought me, and the boys were positive of their belonging to this bird, as they undoubtedly do. Their shape is long, double-rounded. ‘Their color is rich pea-green. Their average size is 1.20 by 0.92.
379— 9 —12.00 x 17.00 x 5.90 x 5.75. May 6, Hidalgo.
PICID A.
PICUS SCALARIS, Wagler.—Texas Woodpecker.
This and Centurus aurifrons are the only ones of the family we found on the Rio Grande. The former, though not so abundant as the latter, is found common among the timber and mezquite chaparral. The soft- wood telegraph poles give proof also of the numbers of both species. I saw nothing in the habits of this small Woodpecker differing from our Downy Woodpecker of the North. Suitable trees for their nests were some distance out of Brownsville, and as we were not allowed to tamper with the government telegraph poles, we did not secure eggs at that place. When we reached Hidalgo, the season was pretty far advanced for them, and when we found their nests they all contained young. I found one nest, with four young, in the heart of the village. This bird breeds earlier than the Yellow-faced Woodpecker. April 29th, I flushed a bird from its nest, seven feet from the ground, in a partially decayed tree, and found within three young and one perfect egg, which for- tunately was not fertilized. At another time, another nest of this species was found containing young and oneegg. I took it to our room, and laid it on the table with other eggs. The next day, when going to blow it, imagine my surprise to see it in halves and a young bird ex- posed. The chick had pecked around the greater diameter until it had parted as nicely as could be. Both eggs have the greatest diameter nearer one end than the other. Their color is clear glassy-white. The size of the whole one is 0.77 by 0.60. That of the broken one is cer- tainly no longer, and may be 0.05 of an inch broader. These facts and figures are so at variance with the description of egg given by Baird, Brewer and Ridgway in * North American Birds”, ii. 519, that I must believe that they have given a description of some other egg. Their description answers so nearly to the egg of Centurus aurifrons, that I should say it referred to the latter, rather than to Picus scalaris.
65— ¢ —7.00 x 13.25 x 4.00 x 2.75. Mar. 24, Brownsville.
75— f¢ —7.50 x 13.50 x 4.10 x 2.25. Mar. 25, Brownsville. 147 — g¢ —7.50 x 13.25 x 4.00 x 2.40. Apr. 3, Brownsville. 148— 9 —7.10 x 13.00 x 4.05 x 2.50. Apr. 3, Brownsville. 214— gf —7.25 x 13.25 x 4.00 x 2.50. Apr. 17, Hidalgo. 355— 9 —7.25 x 13.00 x 3.85 x 2.40. May 3, Hidalgo.
\
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS, 39
CENTURUS AURIFRONS, (Wagl.) Gray.— Yellow-faced Woodpecker. Abundant every where in timber on the Rio Grande, and not very shy.
I had ample opportunity to observe this species. It is rather more quiet than its near relative of the North. It builds its nest at all heights (sometimes so low a man can reach it from the ground), in any sort of tree, whether dead or alive. The square government telegraph poles are its favorite nesting-place. There is hardly a pole free from their holes, and in one I counted ten; probably some were made by their only relative of that section, Picus scalaris, Texas Woodpecker. They build much in live trees, dead timber being very scarce, but in them their holes could not be so readily seen. About May Ist, they had but fairly begun to lay, so that we were not long enough among their favorite resorts to secure many eggs. On May 3d, I secured a set of three fresh eggs, about ten feet from the ground, in an old dead tree, and shot the bird. On the same day, I secured another set of four from a nest only seven feet from the ground, in a hollow stub of a live tree. On May 8th, I was shown a hole about twenty feet from the ground in the crotch of a tree at the camp. In it I was told there were six or seven eggs. I could not take time then to get them, and did not go there again before leaving. The birds had been watched siuce they had taken possession of the tree, and were fully identified. Eggs are oblong-oval and clear glassy-white. They vary little in size, averaging 1.02 by 0.76.
64— ¢—10.00 x 17.00 x 5.25 x 3.75. Mar. 24, Brownsville.
76— g —10.00 x 17.00 x 5.25 x 3.25. Mar. 25, Brownsville.
77— § —10.50 x 17.50 x 5.50 x 3.40. Mar. 25, Brownsville.
94— §— 9.75 x 17.50 x 5.50 x 3.50. Mar. 27, Brownsville.
149— ¢—10.00 x 17.50 x 5.25 x 3.50. Apr. 3, Brownsville.
-216— g— 9.75 x 17.50 x 5.50 x 3.50. Apr. 17, Hidalgo.
217— g —10.25 x 17.50 x 5.25 x 3.25. Apr. 17, Hidalgo. 304— 9 — 9.50 x 16.25 x 4.90 x 3.15. May 3, Hidalgo.
STRIGID A.
STRIX FLAMMEA AMERICANA, (Aud.) Coues.—Barn Owl.
The only opportunity I had of observing these birds in a state of free- dom was whileon the steamer going up and down theriver. Their holes in the banks were seen frequently, and occasionally a bird would be sitting in one of them. At Brownsville I was told that they occupied the bel- fry of the hospital, also the attic of one of the society halls in the city. Two birds were brought alive to me just before leaving for home. No eggs were secured.
BUBO VIRGINIANUS, (Gm.) Bp.—Great Horned Owl. In the latter part of April, Mr. Webster gave chase to a pair of these birds, but did not succeed in securing them.
2 SCOPS ASIO MACCALLI, (Cass.) Coues—McCall’s Owl.
On April 23d, while on the side of a gully in the edge of a woods, I
40 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
flushed a bird of this species from its nest above my head. The Owl alighted in a tree so close to me that had I given it a full charge of No. 9 shot it would have been blown to pieces. I watched it some time in hopes it would fly a little farther off; but it had no idea of taking its eyes from me. I therefore gave it a half charge of dust, and, to my surprise, it got away from me. It was in very light gray plumage, and looked: to me like a faded specimen of our Northeastern bird. The nest con- tained three perfectly fresh eggs, was situated about ten feet from the ground in a dead stub about nine inches in diameter, and so weak and rotten that I could have pushed it over. The eggs are pure white, and nearly round. ‘They measure 1.35 by 1.12, 1.35 by 1.18, and 1.40 by 1.17. The location was about four miles from Hidalgo, up the river, and within avout one-fourth of a mile of its bank.*
GLAUCIDIUM FERRUGINEUM.—Ferrugineous Owl.
[é vertice toto albido lineato nec punctato, caudd totd ferrugined teniis septem ad novem fus- co-nigris regulariter transfasciatd; dorso olivaceo-fusco, innotato; scapularibus maculis magms singularibus aut binis subterminalibus notatis ; torque nuchali nigro, albido et luteo variegato ; remigibus dorso concoloribus, rufo transfasciatis, necnon intus albido dentatis ; rostro e flavo virescente, iridibus flavis; long. tot. 64 poll., alar. exp. 14; ale 34; caude 24.
g, adult, in the “ brown” or norma) plumage: Tail entirely ferrugineous, or light chestnut-red, crossed with 7 to 9 bars of blackish-brown—these bars of the same width as the rufous interspaces, and both sets of markings quite regular and transverse. (These tail-marks distinguish the species in any plumage from G. gnoma.) Entire top of %he head, above the superciliary ridges, and sides of the head behind the auricu- lars, olivaceous-brown, like the back, but streaked with small, sharp, and distinct lines of white or fulvous-whitish ; these markings being on the forehead and most of the crown like pin-scratches in the sharpness of their definition, and though a little less so behind the ears, everywhere retaining their narrow linear character. (In G. gnoma, the head-markings are dots and spots, not lines.) Back like the head, olivaceous-brown, but without markings, except on the scapulars, most of which feathers have each one a large, rounded, white spot on the outer web near the end, and more or fewer pairs of fulvous spots farther along on both webs. Color of back and head divided by an ob- vious cervical collar, consisting of a series of diffuse whitish, and another similar of ful- vous spots, separated by anearly continuous line of black. Upper tail-coverts usually more or less rufescent, approximating to the ground-color of the tail itself. Remiges olivaceous-fuscous, like the back, the primaries imperfectly and indistinctly, the sec- ondaries completely and decidedly, cross-barred with numerous rufescent bands, nar- rower than the dark intervals, besides which markings some of the primaries have an incompleted series of small whitish or very pale fulvous spots along the outer edge, and all have large and deep indentations of white or whitish along the inner web— these white indentations increasing in size from the ends toward the bases of all the feathers, and also growing larger on individual feathers from the outer primaries to the inner secondaries, on which last they reach quite across the under webs. Lining of wings white, with an oblique dark bar, and another curved dark bar, the latter across the ends of the under coverts. The under parts are difficult of description, owing to the diffuseness of the markings; we may say ground-color of under parts white, heavily streaked along the sides with the color of the back ; this color extending quite across the breast, where, however, the feathers have centrally dilated shaft-lines of whitish ; chin and throat white, divided into two areas by a blackish or dark gular collar, which curves across from one postauricular region to the ether. Auriculars dark, sharply
* | Having examined no specimens, the identification is tentative.—H. C.]
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. Al
scratched with white shaft-lines, bounded below by the pure white of the malar region. Eyebrows white, pretty definitely bounded above by the color of the crown. Region immediately about the bill whitish, but mixed with the long, heavy, black bristles that project far beyond the bill, which latter is greenish at base, growing dull yellowish at the end. The sparsely haired toes are somewhat like the bill; the claws are brownish- black. Iris lemon-yellow. Length about 64 inches; alar expanse 14; wing 34; tail 24; tarsus #; middle toe without claw about the same, its claw ?.
The foregoing description is taken from an adult male procured May 8, 1877,at Hidalgo, Texas, by Mr. George B. Sennett—the second specimen known to haveoccurred within our limits, the first having been discovered by Capt. C. Bendire, near Tucson, Arizona in 1872. In the description, however, some allowance has been made for the known - variations which the species presents. But the bird, like others of the genus, and like many other Owls, is dichrous—that is, it occurs under two phases of coloration, one being the ‘‘normal” plumage, as just given, the other being the condition known as erythrism, or rufescence. The latter is as follows :—
Entire upper parts deep rufous-red, with the lighter markings of the head, &c., obso- lete or entirely obliterated; tail the same, with dark bars scarcely traceable. Dark cervical collar, however, conspicuous. White of the under parts tinged with yellowish or fulvous; the markings of the under parts similar in color to the ground of the upper parts, but duller and paler; tibiz rufous, without markings. Gular collar blackish, Various intermediate stages have been observed, and it is presumed that the species is to be found in every degree of transition from the slightest departure from the normal state to the complete assumption of the erythritic condition.
2: These color conditions are common to both sexes. The female is only distin- guished from the male by her superior size. Length7 inches or more; wing 4 or rather more; tail nearly 3; tarsus #.
In extreme cases, the rufous becomes intense and almost uniform, a light rufous replacing even the white of the under parts, and there bein no traces left of bars on the wings or tail. Mr. Ridgway speaks of having examined over fifty specimens, find- ing ‘every possible shade” between the two extremes described.—E. C.]
About noon on May 8th, when about three miles from Hidalgo, as Mr. Dean and I were riding toward the town, he asked me if I wanted a Nighthawk or something like it, high up in an ash-tree on his side of the road. I told him to shoot, and I would soon tell him. After firing, the bird sailed down into the thick woods. As soon as the bird was “ marked down”, we plunged in with our horses, through the thorns and undergrowth, and in a short time I found this beautiful little Owl, with face down and wings spread out upon the ground, perfectly lifeless. This was the first Owl smaller than Nyctale acadica, Acadian Owl, that I had had ever captured. Small Owls were frequently heard
evenings and cloudy days when passing by the woods, but no others
were seen. 402— $—6.50 x 14.00 x 3.50 x 2.45. May 8, Hidalgo.
FALCONIDA.
CIRCUS CYANEUS HUDSONIUS, (L.) Coues.—Marsh Hawk.
This is far the most common Hawk seen on the trip. We met it at Galveston, Corpus Christi, and on the Rio Grande. Only a few in per- fect blue plumage seen, and none secured. Two or three were shot, but, falling in the dense chaparral, were lost to us.
104— 9 —21.25 x 49.00 x 15.50 x 9.50, Mar. 27, Brownsville.
42 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
ICTINIA SUBCGHRULEA, (Bartr.) Coues.*—Mississippi Kite.
On May 7th, I saw several small flocks of these birds in close succession, and watched them with my glass. They were too high to shoot, but the white head and black square tails were plainly seen, and I have no doubts of their being this bird. They were moving north, and among them were some with white tails. There were about fifty in all, sail- ing in circles and drifting northward.
ELANOIDES FORFICATUS, (L.) Coues.i—Swallow-tatled Kite.
On March 24th, a few miles north of Brownsville, my companion shot a fine specimen of this splendid Hawk. When it was wounded, others gathered about to the number of eighteen. He was in the densest of chaparral at the time; one or two others shot were not recovered. About March 12th, at Corpus Christi, one was seen. On April 24th, at Hidalgo, we saw three fly over the village. 71— 9 —24.00 x 51.00 x 17.25 x 13.50. Mar. 24, Brownsville.
ACCIPITER COOPERI, Bp.—Cooper’s Hawk. Common in open chaparral and on the prairies. 340— gf —16.75 x 30.00 x 9.25 x 8.00. May 2, Hidalgo.
FALCO COLUMBARIUS, L.— Pigeon Hawk.
This bird had in its crop nearly the whole of a Ground Dove, Chame- pelia passerina. Common in thinly wooded districts. 87— 9 —12.50 x 26.50 x 8.60 x 6.00. Mar. 27, Brownsville.
FALCO SPARVERIUS, L.—Sparrow Hawk.
Common in open woodland, where it can have free chase for prey. T have found them in harmony with the Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Mi- vulus forficatus, and Common Dove, Zenedura carolinensis, in open fields, where were a few scattered trees and bushes.
12— ¢—11.00 x 23.00 x 7.75 x 0.00. Mar. 8, Corpus Christi. 98— gf —10.75 x 23.25% 7.75 x 5.50. Mar. 27, Brownsville.
BUTEO UNICINCTUS HARRISI, (Aud.) Ridg—Harris’s Buzzard.
This dark Hawk was seen everywhere along the Rio Grande, but in especially large numbers in the vicinity of the large packing-house some three miles from Brownsville. There it could be seen at all times in the day, perched on the telegraph poles and trees along the railway track, watching the Turkey Buzzards, Cathartes aura, Black Vultures, Cathartes atratus, and Audubon’s Caracaras, Polyborus audubont, holding carnival over the offal scattered about in great heaps. By driving our ambulance by the side of the track, we could shoot from it, and in this manner. ob-
*[ Ictinia mississippiensis, auct. ex Wils.—Falco subcerulius, Bartr. Trav. Fla. 1791, 290.— Ictinia subcerulea, Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1876, 345, g. v.—E. C.]
t[ Falco forficatus, LL, 1758.—Nauclerus forficatus, Ridgw. 1874.—Elanoides forficatus, Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1876, 345, g. v.—E. C.]
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 43
tained several of this species. They are sluggish carrion-feeding birds, but withal pretty shy. Ata distance, they look black, and are easily recognized from any others of the family. ‘They build in various places, from an eight-foot Spanish bayonet, or small tree, to a crotch forty feet high. The nests are composed of sticks and leaves, and are quite bulky. I was with Dr. Merrill when he examined two nests. One was on a Spanish bayonet, some eight or nine feet high, and the other in a tree about fifteen feet above the ground. At Hidalgo, I secured two sets of twoeggs each. One set wastaken April 29th from a nest ten feet from the ground in a mezquite-tree, surrounded by small trees. One egg contained a peeping chick, and the other was addled. The other set was taken May Ist by Mr. Barton from a tall ebony-tree. The eggs were fresh. The shape of the egg is nearly double-rounded, but slightly tending to point at one end. The color is pure dead white. The sizes are as follows :—2.10 by 1.70, 2.05 by 1.70, 2.10 by 1.70, and 2.08 by 1.69, averaging 2.08 by 1.70.
1.08— ¢ —20.00 x 41.00 x 12.25 x 8.75. Mar. 27, Brownsville.
1.55— g —22.00 x 48.00 x 15.00 x 10.00. Apr. 3, Brownsville.
1.56— 2 —20.00 x 46.00 x 14.00 x 9.00. Apr. 3, Brownsville.
3.65— 9 —22.50 x 47.00 x 14.50 x 9.50. May 4, Hidalgo. 3.90— ¢ —20.00 x 44.00 x 13.00x 8.75. May 7, Hidalgo.
BUTEO PENNSYLVANICUS, ( Wils.) Bp.—Broad-winged Buzzard.
Thesingleone wasshot on M&y 7th in a dense woods. It was mistaken for an Owl, when, at my approach, it flew from one tree to another, and I was quite surprised when I picked it up.
3.88— g —15.50 x 36.00 x 11.25 x 6.50. May 7, Hidalgo.
ARCHIBUTEO FERRUGINEUS, (Licht.) Gr.—Ferrugineous Buzzard.
On May 16th I found an immense nest on the top of a large Spanish bayonet, and some twelve feet from the ground. There was no bird near, and I knew not whether it was occupied or not. By cutting off the needle-points of the leaves, my Mexican guide, with considerable help, was able to scale it, and, to my surprise, brought down two large eggs.. While I was trying to identify them, on came the owners, a pair of this Species, circling and screaming above our heads, but not near enough for a sure shot. Caught in the act as we were, with nothing for cover better than a Spanish bayonet or a low cactus, and being in the very home of six-foot rattlesnakes, I saw no practicable way of securing the birds. Later on the same day we came upon another nest, and a pair of the same species. This time they were within easy range as they flew over our heads; but our wagon was covered, and before we could get out of the awkward thing to shoot they were out of range. This nest was empty, but had the appearance of being new; was very bulky, similar to the former one, and, like it, situated on a Spanish bayonet, about eight feet from the ground. Dr. Merrill was with me. We both had a fine view of the birds, and their identification was complete. The
44. BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
locality was a sandy ridge, dividing a lake from the salt-marshes. The ~ eggs were perfectly fresh. The sbape is like those of Harris’s Buzzard (Buteo harrist}; but for a tendency to be pointed at one end, would be a broad oval. They are pure chalky-white. One of them had very _ faint flecks of yellowish-brown scattered sparsely over it. The other was Without any. Both of them have a few longitudinal creases. One measures 2.40 by 1.90, and the other 2.38 by 1.90.
POLYBORUS THARUS AUDUBONI, (Cass.) Ridg.—Audubon’s Caracara. On my way duwn the coast, I saw this bird for the first time at Cor- pus Christi, and again on the northern end of Padre Island. But not until I came near the slaughter-houses near Brownsville did I find it very abundant. There, at almost any time in the day, numbers can be seen with the Vultures, feeding upon the offal. When not feeding, they were seen in pairs, on the ground or low dead stubs, and were quite tame. Their flight is low at this season as they skim over the top of the chaparral and among the mezquite groves. I did not see them ecir- cling and sailing to great heights, as they are said todo. They walk, run, and hop readily, as I learned when chasing a winged bird through the thorns and thickets. I never heard them utter a cry of any kind. The sexes are alike, and it takes several years to acquire their full plumage; hence the majority of the birds are yellowish-brown. Consid- ering the number of birds, it is surprising how few nests are found. I spent much valuable time in search for them, but without suecess. Dr. Merrill, however, was more fortunate. His familiarity with country and birds gave him a great advantage, and through his kindness I got chance - at anest. We together took a set of two from the nest. He afterward gave me the set. This nest was composed of sticks and a few leaves, and rested on the branches of a sapling only about nine or ten feet from the ground. This small tree was one of a clump which stood under larger trees, and was so slender that great care had to be taken not to shake out the eggs in getting tothem. It was bulky, and with but little depression. One of the eggs is round at one end and inclined to be pointed at the other; the other is quite double-rounded. The ground-color is arich cinnamon- brown. They are blotched with reddish-brown in great irregular clusters over the whole egg, and on these are small black blotches. My two eggs measure 2.30 by 1.85 and 2.15 by 1.82. A pair given Mr. Webster are 2.40 by 1.86 and 2.32 by 1.85. 83— ¢ ad. —21.50 x 48.50 x 15.25 x 9.00. Mar. 26, Brownsville.
99— 9 ad. —23.00 x 49.50 x 15.25 x 8.25. Mar. 27, Brownsville. 100— gf jun.—22.00 x 47,50 x 14.25 x 7.75. Mar. 27, Brownsyille.
101— g —22.00 x 49.00 x 15.00 x 7.25. Mar. 27, Brownsville. 102—Q jun.—23.00 x 48.50 x 15.50 x 8.00. Mar. 27, Brownsville. CATHARTIDA.
CATHARTES AURA, (L.) Ill.—Turkey Buzzard. Abundant, but not so much so as Cathartes atratus, Black Vulture. At Hidalgo, two sets of eggs were found in the open woodland on the bare
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. A5
ground, with no sign of nest. The shape is nearly oval, but sometimes one end is more pointed thanthe other. The color is light drab, spotted and blotched with dark reddish-brown, rather regularly, but not thickly, over the whole egg. One egg has a complete ring of spots very close to one end. They measure 2.70 by 1.80, 2.65 by 1.90, 2.58 by 1.85, and 2.70 by 1.90. 223— 2 —26.00 x 66.00 x 20.50 x 10.25 x 10.25. Apr. 17, Hidalgo.
CATHARTES ATRATUS, (Bartr.) Less.—Black Vulture.
The most abundant of all the carrion-feeding birds on the Lower Rio Grande. I found it much more numerous in the vicinity of Brownsville than on the coast or farther up the river. Nowhere was it frequenting the towns, as it is said to do in other sections, but preferred the country, and especially the river-banks. Wherever there are slaughter-houses or large herds of cattle, it is sure to be. One of the saddest sights of our slow progress up the river was to see the poor cattle that had strayed away from their drinking-fords and were mired in the quicksand. The only interest taken in their fate was manifested by the ever-ready horde of Vultures who were frolicking near, in anticipation of their approaching feast. Two sets of eggs of two each were found in the vicinity of Hidalgo. Both were laid upon the bare ground in the woods, one set being at the root of a mezquite-tree. They are shaped oblong-oval, but one end more pointed than the other, and their ground-color is white, tinged with green. The markings are brown blotches of all sizes and shades of distinctness, and almost entirely confined to the larger end. On the brown are a few black spots. The eggs measure 3 by 2.05, 3.10
by 2.10, 3.02 by 1.95, and 2.94 by 1.95.
COLUMBID A.
COLUMBA FLAVIROSTRIS, Wagler.—Red-billed Pigeon,
I found this fine large Pigeon common in heavy timber, more especially in the tall scattered clumps near the larger tracts. Its appearance is so marked that it can be recognized at all times from other members of the family. Like all the Pigeons, it is fond of the water. Any morning will find numbers of all the different species going to and coming from the sand-bars in the river, where they are in the habit of drinking and bathing.
The cooing of this bird is clear, short, and rather high-pitched. It is nore secluded in its habits than any of the others, except the one I have lately found new to our fauna, A’chmoptila albifrons. In point of numbers it is much less numerous than the Carolina and the White- winged Doves; still it is quite extensively shot for market. I found it breeding, and secured several sets of nests and eggs. As the accounts given respecting its breeding habits are very meagre, I will give in detail my observations.
On April 30th, I found my first nest of this bird in the vicinity of Hi-
AG BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
dalgo. The locality was a grove of large trees, with undergrowth, and clumps of bushes matted with vines. While prying about the thick vines, I flushed the bird off its nest, and it alighted in one of the tall trees near by. It took me but a moment or two to examine the nest and shoot the bird. In less than ten minutes’ time I had also its mate. The nest was only eight or nine feet from the ground, and set upon the horizontal branches of a sapling in the midst of the vines. It was com- posed of sticks, lined with fine stems and grasses, had a depression of an inch or more, and was about eight inches in outside diameter by two and one-half inches deep. It contained one egg, with embryo just formed. Dissection of the bird showed that she would have laid no - more.
On May 3d, I found another nest very similarly situated in a dense thicket on the border of a woods. The bird was seen; the nest con- tained one addled egg.
On May 8th, at Lomita Ranche, afew miles above Hidalgo, in the fine grove of ebonies in the rear of the buildings of the ranche. I found two nests. Both were well up in the trees, one about twenty-five feet and the other about thirty. The nests were situated close to the body of the trees, on large branches, and were composed of sticks and grasses, with an inside depth of about two inches. One contained a single egg, far advanced; in the other, also, lay a solitary egg, from which a young chick was just emerging. The parents persisted in staying about, not- withstanding we were making a great disturbance, even shooting into the same trees. Whenever we would go off some distance, they would immediately go on their nests, and seemed loth to leave them at our return. These were the only ones seen breeding so near habitations. —
The grove was a common resort for man and beast, besides being the place where wagons, tools, &c., were kept and repaired.
On May 11th, I obtained my fifth and last nest. I found it in the woods at the fork of two roads, a mile or so from the village, down the river. This nest I had discovered a week or so before, complete, but empty. It was situated about ten feet from the ground, in one of a thick clump of small trees, at the junction of several small branches. It was com- posed of twigs and rootlets, without grasses, and had a depression of one and one-half inches. The bird was flushed from the nest and shot. Upon examination, the solitary egg showed that incubation had begun, and dissection of the bird proved that no other eggs were developed for laying.
From my observations, I conclude that the - Red billed Pigeon breeds on our extreme southern border during April and May; that it builds a nest differing from those of other Pigeons, and lays but one egg. The only authority at my command mentioning the habits of this species is ‘“‘North American Birds”, by Baird, Brewer and Ridgway. In vol. iii., page 367, mention is made of the two eggs of this bird being somewhat larger than those of Z. carolinensis, Carolina Dove. The same page
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. AF]
gives description and size of the eggs (1.18 by 0.90) in the Berlandier collection.
Now these statements apply so exactly to the egg of the White-winged Dove, Melopelia leucoptera, and are so decidedly at variance with my ex- perience, that I have no hesitation in saying that undoubtedly Dr. Ber- landier and the Mexican were laboring under a mistake, both having the eggs of Melopelia leucoptera (see my description of this further on), instead of Columba flavirostris. The shape of my five eggs of the bird under consideration is oblong-oval, with the greatest diameter in the centre. Some vary slightly, tending sometimes to double-pointed, and again to double-rounded. Their color is pure white. They measure 1.60 by 1.10, 1.55 by 1.12, 1.60 by 1.08, 1.48 by 1.08, and 1.46 by 1.07, averaging ale BA by 1.09.
233— ¢—14.00 x 25.00 x 8.50 x 4.75. Apr. 19, Hidalgo. 260— 9 —14.60 x 24.50 x 7.90 x 5.00. Apr. 20, Hidalgo. 323— 9 —14.25 x 23.25 x 7.50 x 5.00. Apr.30, Hidalgo. 324— g —14.75 x 25.00 x 7.75 x 5.00. Apr.30, Hidalgo. 408— $ —13.75 x 24.75 x 7.75 x 4.75. May 9, Hidalgo. 422— $—14.00 x 24.50 x 8.00 x 4.65. May 11, Hidalgo. ZENZDURA CAROLINENSIS, (L.) Bp.—Carolina Dove.
This bird was most abundant of all the Pigeons wherever we went. At Galveston and Corpus Christi, on the way down, and at Brownsville,
up to about April 10th, they werein flocks. When I reached Hidalgo,
April 17th, they were mating, and they filled the air with the sound of their cooing. On April 25th, I found the first two eggs, and soon there- after they became abundant. By the first of May, we came upon their nests in all sorts of places and at all heights, within from two to eight feet from the ground, but never on the ground. Their construction was usually a small, simple platform of twigs, with the slightest depression. Frequently they were made of bleached grasses alone. It was a very pretty sight to see one of these nests of yellow grass, with its snow- whiteeggs. This bird is at all times very tame, and when sitting on its eggs will often allow one to come within two feet of it toobserve it. Of some fifty eggs, the average is 1.10 by 0.82.
. 25— 9 —12.25 x 18.25 x 5.75 x 5.50. Mar. 8, Corpus Christi.
308— 9 —11.25 x 17.00 x 5.40 x 4.90. Apr. 30, Hidalgo.
4 309— g —12.00 x 18.00 x 5.75 x 5.50. Apr. 30, Hidalgo.
370— $—12.00 x 18.25 x 5.65.x 5.50. May 5, Hidalgo. MELOPELIA LEUCOPTERA, (L.) Bp.— White-winged Dove,
In all wooded districts on the Rio Grande above Brownsville, this Dove is abundant. In the immediate vicinity of Brownsville I did not meet with it; but I had not gone far up the river by boat before I saw it in
company with others about the banks and shores of the river. Whether at rest or on the wing, it is a handsome bird, showing almost as far as you can see it the characteristic wing-patch which gives it name. These birds are very affectionate and attentive toward each other, and their Soft, sweet cooing is pleasant to hear. They are not under foot as much
48 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
as the Carolina Dove, yet they are by no means shy. I have frequently been within twenty-five feet of them, and stood, to be curiously observed by them, for some seconds before they took flight. Though not as shy in the trees as the Red-billed Pigeon, yet they do not like one to come near their eggs. When I reached Hidalgo, these birds were in pairs, and I was quite surprised on the 1st of May to see a flock of a dozen or so. They were probably males in search of food, while their mates were incubating their eggs, for at that time no young birds were out. I found numbers of their nests situated in all sorts of trees (the mezquite is a favorite tree with them), and in thickets at all heights within from four to ten feet from the ground. They are generally composed of sticks and weeds, with little, sometimes no lining, of leaves or feathers. I have one nest of Spanish moss. The complement of eggs is two. They are oblong-oval, and of a creamy-white; occasionally a set will be very dark cream, or one again will be pure white. Of thirty eggs, the largest is 1.30 by 0.92, and the smallest 1.10 by 0.90, although there is one nar- rower, it being 1.20 by 0.86. The average size is 1.20 by 0.89.
225— fg —12.00 x 19.25 x 6.25 x 4.25. Apr. 18, Hidalgo.
227— g —12.25 x 20.00 x 6.50 x 4.40. Apr. 18, Hidalgo.
228— ¢—12.00 x 19.00 x 6.40 x 4.40. Apr. 18, Hidalgo.
258— g —12.25 x 20.00 x 6.50 x 4.50. Apr. 20, Hidalgo.
259— $—12.10 x 20.00 x 6.60 x 4.50. Apr. 20, Hidalgo.
268— 9 —11.75 x 20.50 x 6.60 x 4.25. Apr. 24, Hidalgo.
310— ¢—12.00 x 19.75 x 6.25 x 4.50. Apr. 30, Hidalgo.
335— 9 —11.50 x 19.50 x 6.00 x 4.00. May 2, Hidalgo.
CHAM ZPELIA PASSERINA, (L.) Sw.—Ground Dove.
In the vicinity of Brownsville, I saw a few small flocks, but not where I could obtain any. At Hidalgo, I saw them occasionally in pairs, and they breed ail along the Lower Rio Grande, but I did not collect any of their eggs. The officers at camp near Hidalgo said they came in the mornings to the river, near by, to drink with other Pigeons. Iam in- debted to Dr. Merrill for a set of two eggs, taken near Brownsville. ‘They are oval, pure white, and measure 0.87 by 0.63 and 0.88 by 0.65.
244— 9 —6.75 x 10.85 x 3.50 x 2.25. Apr. 19, Hidalgo. 384— $—7.00 x 11.50 x 3.40 x 2.50. May 7, Hidalgo. 385— 9 —7.00 x 11.50 x 3.40 x 2.40. May 7, Hidalgo.
[Genus AACHMOPTILA, Coues.
Peristera, of some authors. . Leptoptila, Swainson, Class. B. ii. 1837, 349 (misspelled ‘“‘ Leptotila”). (Not Leptoptilos Lesson, Tr. Orn. 1831, 585, nor Leptoptilus Strickl. 1841, nor Leptoptila Gloger, 1842.)—Bp. Consp. Av. ii. 1854, 74.—Gray, Handl. ii. 1870, 242, n. 2319 (‘*Lepto- tila”’).
Cu.—First primary abruptly emarginate, attenuate and linear near the end. Wings oz moderate length: 3d and 4th primaries longest; first shorter than 7th. Tail much shorter than the wings, rounded, of 12 broad feathers. Tarsus entirely naked, equal- ling or rather exceeding the middle toe and claw. Lateral toes nearly equal, the ends of their claws reaching about opposite the base of the middle claw. Hind toe shortest of ali, but perfectly incumbent. Bill small and slender, much shorter than tlie head.
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 49
A considerable naked space about the eye, thence extending in a narrow line to the bill. Size medium or rather small. Body full and stout. Coloration subdued, but hind head and neck iridescent. No metallic dae on wings.
Type, @. jamaicensis (L.).
This genus comprehends a number of species of Middle ana South America and the West Indies, one of which, Z&. albifrons, before only known from Mexico, I recently had the pleasure of eareencie into our fauna, upon specimens secured by Mr. Sennett, at Hidalgo, Texas. Otherspecies, as recognized by Bonaparte in 1854, are 4. verreauai of New Granada, 4. erythrothorax of Cayenne, and 4. dubusi from the Rio Napo. G. R. Gray, in 1870, records, as additional species of the same immediate group, 4. rufaxilla, AB. brasiliensis, Af. cerviniventris, Af. plumbiceps, Ai. cassini, Af. riottei, and i. ochroptera.
The characters of the genus are drawn up from &. albifrons. The group is closely re- lated to Peristera proper, of which Gray makes it a subgenus. It was originally named Leptotila by Swainson in 1837, but the name is preocenpied, having been used in 1831 by Lesson, under the form Leptoptilos, for a genus of Storks. Difference of termina- tion may suffice to distinguish any two names when indicating any difference of mean- ing, as in the vases of Picus and Pica, but can hardly be considered sufficient in this instance, especially as the original form of the word, Leptoptilos, requires to be cor- rected into Leptoptilus or Leptoptila, as has already been done by Strickland and Gloger.
Aichmoptila includes a number of species of ‘ Ground Doves”, related to such forms as Zenaida, Peristera, Oreopelia, &c., distinguished from the more arboreal Pigeons of the New World by their long naked tarsi. They are of rather smal! size, stont, full body, small bill, short, rounded broadly, 12-feathered tail, and have the first primary abruptly linear-attenuate at the end for aninchorso, They are of rather plain colors, though the neck bh s the iridescence so common in Pigeons, and usually have the lining of the wings chestnut.
AMCHMOPTILA ALBIFRONS, (Bp.) Coues.— White-fronted Pigeon.
Leptoptila albifrons, Bp. C. A. ii. 1854, 74. (Mexico; “Cuba”.—Lawr. Bull. Nat. Mus. n. 4, 1876, 44 (Tehuantepec). Iris orange; bill black; orbital space bluish; feet curmine.)—Coues, Bull. Nuttall Club, ii. n. 3, July, 1877, 82 (Hidalgo, Texas, May, 1877, G. B. Sennett).
Peristera ( Leptotila) albifrons, Gray, Handlist, ii. 1870, 242, n. 9380.
Cu. sp.— $ brunneo olivacea sericea, cervice cupreo-purpurascente, fronte albescente; subtus albido, lateribus obscurioribus, pectore juguloque subvinaceis, crisso et mente albis; tectricibus ale inferioribus axillaribusque castaneis ; rectricibus medic dorso concoloribus, ceteris nigres- centibus apicibus albis; rostro nigro; pedibus ruberrimis ; spatio orbitali livido-incarnato. Long. tot. pedalis ; alw semipedalis; caude 44: rostri%: tarsi 14-1}. dig. med. cum ungue 1}.
g, adult: Upper parts brownish-olive, with silky lustre (much as in Coccygus ameri- canus for example). Hind head, nape, and back and sides of neck with coppery pur- plish iridescence. Top of the head of a somewhat bluish or glaucous “bloom”, fading: to creamy-white on the forehead. Under parts dull white or whitish, more or less. shaded with olive-brown on the sides, deepening on the fore breast and jugulum to pale: vinaceous ; belly, crissum, and chin quite purely white. Wing-coverts and inner quills like the back, and without metallic spots; other larger remiges slaty-blackish, with very narrow pale edging toward the end. All the under wing-coverts and the axillaries | bright chestnut. Two middle tail-feathers like the back; others slaty-black, tipped with white in decreasing amount from the outer part inward, the largest white tips being about half an inch in extent. Bill black. Feet carmine-red. Iris yellow. Bare skin around eye red and livid blue. Length 12-12}; extent 19-194; wing 6-64; tail 44-44; bill 2-2; tarsus 14-14, middle toe and claw rather less.
Female not seen.—E. C.]
Shortly after obtaining my first specimen of this Dove, I sent a descrip- tion of it to Washington. It was identified, and a portion of the letter Bull. iv. No. 1—4
50 “BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
published in the Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club for July, vol. ii., No. 3, p. 82. Since then I obtained more birds, and will here give a further description of it and its habits. On April 18th, I obtained my first in a tract of timber a mile below Hidalgo, near the bank of the river. It was shot from the upper branches of the tallest trees. Scat- tered about the woods in pairs were Columba flavirostris, Red-billed Pigeon, and Melopelia leucoptera, White-winged Dove. On the 19th, another was shot in the same locality. Five specimens were secured up to the time of leaving, and a number of others seen and heard. It is more secluded than the other Pigeons, and only found among the tallest tim- ber. Seen in the woods, it resembles M. leucoptera both in size and shape of tail, but can be recognized from it at sight by the absence of the large, white wing-patch. Its note is somewhat prolonged, ends with a falling inflection, and is exceedingly low in pitch. Most of my birds were obtained by following the sound of their notes until within range; all were seen sitting quietly in secluded places; all are males, and in- jured considerably by falling from great heights. On the last day of my stay at Hida!go, I watched a pair for a long time, in hopes of find- ing their nest, but without success. If they had one, they were evi- dently not anxious to get to their eggs. IT'rom their actions, I am sure they were mated. I was anxious to get the female, but, as I could not distinguish it from the male, I had to take the chances; and upon shooting one, the other flew out of sight, and I could not obtain it. Now, that the bird is known to be on our border, we shall soon know all about its breeding habits.
This species has the following specific characteristics :—Upper parts greenish-olive, the metallic coloring purple, with bronzy-green reflec- tions, and restricted to the back of neck. Crown drab, shading to: nearly white on forehead. Orbital space small, faintly red and blue. Chin white. Foreneck creamy-slate. Belly white. Sidesashy. Wings brown above, slaty below, and whole under wing-coverts bright chest- nut, which color extends even to the sides. Tail square, of twelve feathers; middle ones olive, like the back, and the others brown above and tipped with white in increasing amount until the outer ones are white for half an inch. Tail below black, with the white tips as above. Under tail-coverts pure white. Iris yellow, with reddish-brown shade when fresh, but changing after death toa deep salmon. Bill black, 0.62 to 0.70 of an inch. Feet carmine. Tarsus 1.35; middle toe and claw
' the same.
224— g —12.50 x 19.50 x 6.40 x 4.50. Apr. 18, Hidalgo. 234— g§ —12.50 x 19.25 x 6.25 x 4.50. Apr. 19, Hidalgo. 334— fg —12.25 x 19.00 x 6.00 x 4.50. May 2, Hidalgo. 421— g—12.00 x 19.25 x 6.00 x 4.25. May 11, Hidalgo.
CRACID.
ORTALIDA VETULA, Wagl.—Texas Guan. This curious and interesting bird is well described in ‘‘ North Amer-
—
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 51
ican Birds”; but I must take issue on a few points, particularly in re- gard to its breeding habits. In the vicinity of Brownsville, the heavy timber being scarce, I saw none, and only heard them a few times in the heaviest chaparral. Hidalgo is in the very heart of their habitat within our limits, and my facilities for observing them at that point were very good indeed. Mornings and evenings we could hear them from every direction, and whenever we went into the woods they were always
observed. Oneis sure to find them where dense thickets of undergrowth
are under large trees. At the time I was with them they were in pairs, and generally a number of pairs would be in one locality. The sexes
are similar in appearance, and their notes alike, excepting that the
female’s note is pitched higher. Its notes are loud and simply inde- scribable. If you will sound the word cha-cha-la-ca in rapid succession in the loudest possible whisper, always accenting the last two syllables, you will give to yourself, but to no one else, some idea of their love songs. The loudness and hoarseness are the same in both sexes, and one answers the other so closely that it is hard to distinguish their notes, although one may be closely observing them. ‘Their concerts take place mornings, evenings, and at all hours on dark days. They are at such times in the tops of the trees, and, if alarmed, at once give the warning note, and sail, with spread wings, down into the thickets, becoming instantly quiet. _The woods which a moment before resounded with a deafening noise of an uncertain number of these birds (it is im- possible to judge by the sound whether few or many are engaged in their coneerts) is now still as death. Those unobserved and farthest off will, when they feel reassured, start up their cry, and set the whole company to screaming again. Several times, when well concealed, I have noticed a pair spring from a thicket into a large tree, jump from limb to limb close to the body until they reached the top, when they would walk out to the end of the branch and begin their song. They roost in trees, and hunters frequently get them at night. Rarely did I see them on the ground. Once, while resting in a mezquite grove, which looked very much like a peach-orchard on a well-kept lawn, I saw a Chachalaea trot out from a neighboring thicket in full view. He
seemed looking for food on the ground. He discovered me, and we
eyed each other for a moment, when it turned, ran a short distance, sprang into the lower branches of a tree, and, hopping along from tree to tree, disappeared into the thicket about five feet from the ground. They are very fond of blackberries, which were then getting ripe. Another peculiarity of this bird is that the male alone has the trachea doubled over some three.or four inches on the muscles of the breast, directly under the skin. Their meat is white, and most excellent eating. Of their crossing with the common game fowl, and tbereby producing the superior fighting-cocks for which the Mexicans are so noted, I saw no proof, but it is accepted as true by everybody in the region. They
52 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
are easily domesticated. I saw a pair in a jacal at Brownsville that could hardly be driven out of doors long enough for us to see them.
The nest of this species is never found on the ground, but in trees and bushes varying in height from four to ten feet. The structure varies in composition and size according to its location. If it is in a large fork close to the body of the tree, a few sticks, grasses, and leaves are sufii- cient, and the structure will not equal in size or strength that of a Mockingbird. This small size is by far the most frequent; but I have a nest built upon a fork of two small branches, composed entirely of Span- ish moss. It is bulky and flat, being a foot in diameter and four inches deep, with a depression four inches wide and twodeep. The bird begins to lay about the middle of April, and when I left that section on May 11 chicks were peeping in the eggs, and some nests were found with broken shells and deserted. The birds are clean in their habits, no excrement or litter being found in their nests. The most natural place for them to build is in the undergrowth or thickets in the dense forests. Their complement of eggs is three. I secured sixteen sets, and in no instance were there more, and oniy twice less. In no instance were they covered with leaves or anything else, as has been said. Nor does the parent fly at the intruder or show any alarm. On the contrary, as soon as she is observed, she darts into the thickets, as usual, without any note of alarm or any show of fighting. More often, the bird flies off before she has a chance of being seen, and the eggs can be seen as far as you can see the nest. The first nest was found April 20, and contained its full complement of three eggs. The location was above the camp in a wesatche tree, close by a bridle-path, used almost daily by the cavalry in going to practice. The nest was some eight or nine feet above the ground, in a crotch, and would not have been noticed had not the bird flown as we came upon it while on horseback. This was by all odds the most exposed place in which any nest was found. One nest I found in the heart of the woods at Lomita Ranche, and the three eggs were so much exposed that they were seen some time before the nest could be distinguished. This nest was shallow, as a Pigeon’s, and situated about six feet from the ground on two small branches of a sapling. To describe other nests would be but repetition.
The eggs are remarkably large in proportion to the size of the bird’s body. They have very thick shells, resembling in this respect a Guinea- fowl’s egg, and of extreme hardness. Their shape is oblong-oval. They are distinctly granulated and of a rich creamy-white. They are generally remarkably clean. They are also very even in size. The largest meas- ures 2.45 by 1.65, the smallest 2.31 by 1.55, and the average 2.34 by 1.60.
226— § —22.00 x 24.50 x 7.50 x 9.50. Apr. 18, Hidalgo. 269— $ —23.00 x 26.50 x 8.50 x 10.50. Apr. 24, Hidalgo. 270— 2 —21.50 x 25.00 x 8.00 x 9.00. Apr. 24, Hidalgo.
271— g —24.00 x 27.00 x 8.50 x 10.50. Apr. 24, Hidalgo. 311— 3 —23.50 x 28.00 x 8.15 x 10.00. Apr. 30, Hidalgo.
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF ‘TEXAS. 53 MELEAGRIDA.
MELEAGRIS GALLOPAVO,* L.—Turkey.
This fine game bird is common in the timber districts along the Lower Rio Grande. While going up and down the river on the steamer, I fre- quently saw them on the flat bars that make out in the bends of the river, or flying from one side to the other. In the vicinity of Hidalgo, I heard them frequently, and saw them occasionally. I took no espe- cial pains to hunt them, and obtained no specimens. On May 8th, at the camp, I saw a number of young just from the egg that the soldiers had caught in the neighborhood.
PERDICID A.
ORTYX VIRGINIANA TEXANA,} (Lawr.) Coues.—Texas Quail.
I frequently met them, singly or in pairs, in open chaparral. I shot a number, and obtained three sets of eggs. I can see no difference in habits from O. virginiana, and their eggs are similar but smaller. They average 1.20 by 0.93. 93— 9 — 9.00 x 14.25 x 4.25 x 2.50. Mar. 27, Brownsville. 142— ¢—10.00 x 14.50 x 4.40 x 2.75. Apr. 3, Brownsville. 352— 9 — 9.50 x 14.25 x 4.00 x 2.40. May 3, Hidalgo. 3538— f— 9.50 x 14.65 x 4.15 x 2.50. May 3, Hidalgo. 369— g¢— 9.75 x 14.50 x 4.15 x 2.50. May 5, Hidalgo.
Having come to the water birds, I will preface these notes by saying that I omit mentioning many species that are well known to exist on our Southern border only in winter, and of which I did not obtain speci- mens. From the 28th of February until the 20th of March we were principally among the water birds. The birds of the North were moult- ing, and those from Mexico were just coming in, were paired, and busy prospecting for proper places for their eggs. We found no eggs on our way down the coast.
CHARADRITDA. ANGIALITIS VOCIFERA, (I.) Cass.—Kildeer Plover. This bird was abundant everywhere near the coast, and at Browns-
ville in wet places, up to April 15th, when I left for up the river. On my return, I do not remember of seeing it.
FAAMATOPODIDA.
L_LAMATOPUS PALLIATUS, Temm.—Oyster-catcher.
We met this bird in the bayous between Padre and Mustang Islands, in Corpus Christi Pass, on March 12th. They were in pairs, and continu-
*[No specimens examined by me. The Turkey of this region is said to have light- tipped upper tail-coverts, being thus referable to true gallopavo (mexicana Gould).— E. C.]
t [Specimens typical of this subspecies.—E. U.]
54 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
ally making swift aérial flights, common to shore birds in the mating season. Here, among the immense oyster-beds, they revelled in plenty, and were as tame as could be. Weshot a number, and they were so very fat that little could be done with them. Dissection showed eggs of half size, so that if we had had time to remain even a week longer, we undoubtedly could have found their eggs.
33— 9 —20.00 x 37.00 x 11.00 x 4.75. Mar. 13, Padre Island.
STREPSILAS INTERPRES, (L.) [ll.—Turnstone.
T am satisfied that many of this species breed along the entire coast of Texas. At Point Isabel, on May 19th, I saw many pairs, and by their actions they had evidently settled for the season. I could not drive them away from certain localities. Iwas told by the fishermen that the birds were there all the year round. I did not find their eggs.
RECURVIROSTRID AA.
RECURVIROSTRA AMERICANA, Gm.—Avocet.
At Bolivar Point, on Galveston Bay, March 1st, I found this bird in immense flocks. They were very shy, and it was only by the most care- ful maneuvring that I could shoot them. They were then just casting off their winter plumage. March 29th, on the salt-marshes about balf- way between Brownsville and the mouth of the Rio Grande, I met them again. in flocks of three or four. Here they exhibited nothing like the shyness we had seen on Bolivar Point. After shooting at them, they would fly a short distance along the shallow lagoon, and drop down and commence feeding agai. They apparently felt no concern for their wounded companions. They were not yet in summer plumage. On May 20, I examined miles of the bayous, lagoons, and marshes about Point Isabel, fit places for them, and did not see any of this species, and I presume they had left for the North and West.
112— 9 —17.50 x 30.50 x 9.00 x 3.50. Mar. 29, Brownsville.
HIMANTOPUS NIGRICOLLIS, V.—Stilt.
Occasionally seen about Brownsville in small flocks. In the marshes near the coast I found them numerous, and breeding on a small island that rose just above the water’s edge. To reach it, we waded to the depth of a foot, for half a mile or more from our ambulance, and so low was it that it was quite concealed by the sparse grass of the marsh about it. The island was several hundred feet long by about two hundred feet wide, and was composed of mud and grasses. Herons of all kinds were seen scattered over the whole marsh, feeding or lazily flying about. The nests were near the water, and some of them in the water. Those in the water were composed of grasses, piled up in little heaps of such a height that the eggs would just clear the water. If built on the mud, there were fewer grasses. The birds were there in numbers, screaming about our heads. No other birds were breeding on the island, excepting
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 55
Marsh and Forster’s Terns, the nests of each being in separate groups. They evidently had but fairly commenced laying, as, out of the dozen or more nests, we found only one had its full complement of four eggs. All were fresh, excepting a clutch of four, which contained young nearly ready to come out of the shell. We were only restrained from taking many of the birds by having our bag already so full that the idea of taking care of any more in the great heat was appalling. The eggs have a ground-color of greenish-drab, and are blotched with dark brown, the spots being thickest about the greatest diameter. The largest egg measures 1.85 by 1.25, the smallest 1.60 by 1.15, and the average 1.71
by 1.21. 436— g —15.50 x 26.00 x 9.00 x 3.00. May 16, Brownsville.
SCOLOPACIDA.
TRINGA MACULATA, V.—Pectoral Sandpiper. Great numbers of these were on the Rio Grande, in company with Actiturus bartramius, up to about April 15th, after which time I did not
notice them. 96— g —9.50 x 18.50 x 5.75 x 2.50. Mar. 27, Brownsville. 97— $ —8.25 x 16.00 x 5.15 x 2.50. Mar. 27, Brownsville.
LIMosA FEDOA, (L.) Ord.—Great Marbled Godwit.
The only locality in which we noticed this species was at Padre Island, by Corpus Christi Pass, about March 15. They then had their Warm winter plumage. A number were shot, but none preserved.
TOTANUS SEMIPALMATUS, Gm.— Willet.
I saw these every day on the coast as we were going down, ard, March 29th, I saw them again near the mouth of the Rio Grande. When I found the Stilt’s eggs, on May 16th, I saw them in pairs, scattered about ; and on May 19th, at Point Isabel, I saw several pairs. I have just received a letter from Dr. Merrill, saying that he found a set of their eggs not far from where we found the Stilt’s eggs, but giving no further particulars. .
TOTANUS MELANOLEUCUS, Gin.—Greater Telltale.
At Point Isabel, on May 19th, I shot this bird, and saw several pairs, apparently settled to breed.
ACTITURUS BARTRAMIUS, ( Wils.) Bp.— Upland Plover.
Seen in abundance near the coast, and in wet places near Brownsville, up to April 15th, after which time I did not frequent its favorite locali- ties.
95— $ —11.50 x 21.50 x 6.50 x 3.50. Mar. 27, Brownsville. NUMENIUS LONGIROSTRIS, Wils.—Long-billed Curlew.
I saw this conspicuous bird along the coast going down, and in the marshes near Brownsville, up to the time of taking the steamer for
56 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
home; and I have no doubt a few remain near the coast, about the mouth of the Rio Grande, the entire year. '
NUMENIUS BOREALIS, (Forst.) Lath.—Esquimaux Curlew.
On March 8th, at Corpus Christi, near the mouth of the Nueces, I shot several of these birds. They were seen singly or in groups of three or four. On the northern end of Padre Island, a week later, I saw them in flocks of twenty or more. They were seen alighting on the small islands in the pass, and flying swiftly along the margins of the Miter They were quite shy ; a number were shot.
22— gf —13.75 x 27.00 x 8.50 x 3.40. Mar. 28, Corpus Christi.
TANTALIDA.
FALCINELLUS GUARAUNA, Gm.— W hite-faced Glossy Ibis.
My experience with the breeding habits of this beautiful bird was unexpectedly large and opportune. On my return to Brownsville from up the river, a hunter brought me, among others, a young bird and some eggs, that I had never seen before, and which, he said, belonged to this bird. The next day, May 15th, I took an ambulance and driver, and this same Mexican hunter, to compel him to make good the stories he had told of the great numbers of birds and eggs to be seen. Down we went, through the chaparral, across the country, by the borders of lagoons ahd lakes, until we stopped on the edge of an immense salt- marsh, filled with rushes excepting near the shores. All kinds of Herons and water fowl were moving about in all directions, but nothing unusual was seen, there being no indications of an established heronry. When the Mexican stripped and said, ‘*Come on,” I dared not back out, and could but do the same, and follow with the gun. The darky driver fairly rolled with laughter, and considered it a good joke. I must say, at that moment I agreed with him. In we went, my leather-colored guide taking the lead, with my big bag strapped to his head and shoul- ders. ‘The rushes were distant many rods from the shore, in water from three to four feet deep, and stood out of the water about six feet. As we parted the rushes to examine a few nests near the outskirts, a few Herons and Ibises circled and screamed above our heads. I indicated to my guide that I would not shoot until I found an Ibis on its nest. Into the rushes we worked our way, the nests grew more abundant, and we came to openings that would allow us to have a more extended view. I here picked out an Ibis on a nest, fired, and saw the bird drop over; but I was so completely overwhelmed by the sight above and about us, that I was for the time transfixed. A hundred acres of beau- tiful birds, plunging and screaming above the rushes! Just think of it! In ten minutes from the report of the gun, all the thousands of birds, excepting those in our immediate vicinity, were settled again upon their eggs. On every side were nests in great numbers, and birds guarding their eggs or young, allowing us to get within a few feet of them before
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 57
launching into the air with flapping wings, legs, and necks. The Ibis alone was shy, and kept at a respectful distance. Along with it, and in about equal numbers, were Ardea egretta, Great White Egret; Ardea candidissima, Little White Egret ; and Ardea var. leucoprymna, Louisiana Heron ; besides not a few Nyctiardea var. nevia, Night Heron. All of these were here nesting indiscriminately. After shooting a few birds, I soon found that the Ibis eggs resembled none of the others. Its nest differs considerably from those of the Herons nesting near, although built of the same material. It is built of dead rushes twined about broken-down and upright living ones, and is more elaborately and strongly woven, and is deeper than the others. Its shape is not unlike that of a Grackle’s nest. Its outside is about a foot in diameter and eight or ten inches deep, and inside six or eight inches wide by three or four inches deep. Its height from the water varied from two to four feet. There is greater variation in the season for breeding with this species than with the Herons. I found larger younger birds, and fresher eggs. The season for fresh eggs, however, was drawing to a close, for few indeed were the nests found containing one or no egg. Unlike the Herons, too, the whole clutch would be hatched at nearly the same time; 7. ¢., the eggs of the clutch would be more equally advanced, and the young nearly of a size. I found young in all stages, from those just out of the egg to those half-grown and about ready to leave the nest. The latter, at our near approach, would scramble out of the nests and into the water, and a tough chase we would have in the tangled reeds to catch them. The young, as it leaves the egg, is covered with black down, with a white patch on the head; its legs and bill are pink, the latter decurved, and with two black bands. As it grows, the quills and feathers show, from their start, the metallic hues, and when half-grown, it is of the richest deep green. Neither old nor young make any noise or resistance when captured. * :
Eggs were found in all stages of incubation. The proportion of eggs with young was largely in excess of the fresh ones, yet I found enough of the latter. I could tell them by the color—the fresher the egg the deeper the green. It would not be exaggeration to say that I could have gathered bushels of eggs and hundreds of young of this species alone. The farther we penetrated into the rushes, the more abundant were the nests. Such a haul was only equalled on the very next day, May 16th, when Dr. Merrill accompanied us, and we were among these beautiful Ibises nearly the whole day. Here, too, other birds, of which notice will be taken farther on, were found breeding. In this heronry and marsh, we worked long and faithfully, hardly knowing what we would not find breeding in it. It was near night both days before I left
*[Mr. Sennett’s beautifully prepared and high-plumaged specimens show very clearly the specific distinction from the common Bay or Glossy Ibis, Falcinellus igneus of authors. The young birds are entirely green, and represent the supposed species, Fal- cinellus thalassinus of Mr. Ridgway, who informs me that he some time since arrived at this determination.—E. C.]
58 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
it, and toward evening large flocks of this Ibis would come in to roost, probably having been off in search of food during the day. Their flight is in lines, like the Cormorants, and well sustained. This bird is a mar- ket bird in the fall, when it is fat and said to be very good. The com- plement of eggs is three or four; in only one instance did I find five. Of the seventy-six eggs before me I give the following description :— Shape oblong, rounded at one end and pointed at the other. In only a few instances are they oval. Color bluish-green. The longest and broadest egg measures 2.20 by 1.50; the shortest and narrowest, 1.72 by 1.30; and the average, 1.99 by 1.42.
430— ¢ —23.00 x 38.00 x 11.00 x 4.00. May 15, Brownsville. 431— g —23.50 x 38.50 x 10.75 x 4.00. May 15, Brownsville. 435— 9 —21.50 x 36.00 x 10.25 x 3.75. May 16, Brownsville. 437— g —24.00 x 38.00 x 10.00 x 4.00. May 16, Brownsville. 439— ¢ —24.50 x 38.50 x 10.50 x 4.00. May 16, Brownsville. 440— g —23.50 x 39.50 x 10.75 x 4.25: May 16, Brownsville. 443— g —23.50 x 38.50 x 11.00 x 3.75. May 16, Brownsville. 445— $ —23.75 x 38.75 x 10.60 x 3.75. May 16, Brownsville.
IBIs ALBA, (L.) V.— White Ibis.
The only time and place I saw this bird was on May 16, at the “her- onry”, where I obtained so many Falcinellus guarauna. Not over a dozen were seen, and only one secured. I looked long for their nests, but I did not find any to know them. The birds did not act as if they had nests, but possibly they were nesting in the heart of the rushes.
441— ¢ —27.25 x 33.75 x 11.50 x 4.50. May 16, Brownsville.
PLATALEA AJAJA, L.—Roseate Spoonbill.
- But little was seen of this magnificent and wonderful bird. A few miles from the coast it is known to frequent the salt lakes and marshes. In going from Brownsville to Point Isabel on the cars, I saw a flock of eight in full plumage, as they were startled by our train. While tak- ing a run on horseback about the lagoons and marshes in the vicinity of Point Isabel, on the evening before my departure for home, I saw a few flying over the marshes, but got no shot. I could learn nothing about their breeding habits, although everybody in that section of country mentions seeing them often, and speaks of them as very shy.
ARDEIDAi.*
ARDEA HERODIAS, L.—Great Blue Heron.
About the lagoons, inside of the sand-hills on the coast, and especially about Corpus Christi Pass, this bird was seen in numbers. On the northern end of Padre Island I saw them by hundreds. Nearly all the bushes of the island that grow to the height of a man are located on that point, and in the largest of the growth the camp of the Coast Sur- vey was situated. All of this growth could be seen from the station.
*[ Nomenclature in this family according to Mr. Ridgway’s later investigations—see his paper, this Bulletin, beyond.—E. C.]
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 59
On March 15th, Mr. Halter and I, with a glass, counted thirty-eight of this species on one clump of bushes no larger than two hundred by twenty-five feet. They were busy at work on their nests, and had them all nearly ready for the eggs. On the same day, I examined these bushes, which were scruboak and about eight feet high. By going to the top of a sand-hill, which had drifted upon one.of these clumps, I could look into nearly all of the nests, and, had I been inclined, could have stepped into several of them. No eggs were yet laid. The nests were composed of sticks laid upon the thick, tangled bushes. They were very bulky, some being fully three feet in diameter, and had a depres- sion of about six inches. The birds were in fine plumage, very shy, knew well the range of a gun, and had sentinels on every sand-hill. When a man appeared, the whole army within the radius of a mile were signalled to that effect. A set of their eggs was sent me, that was obtained soon after I left. They average 2.58 by 1.84 inches.
HERODIAS EGRETTA, (Gm.) Gray.—Great White Egret.
Frequently seen about the lagoons on the coast, and also on the river between Hidalgo and Brownsville. At the great heronry in the rushes, about half-way between Brownsville and the coast, I found it breeding in great numbers, and obtained eggs and young. When I found them, May 15th, the eggs were mostly hatched, and not a perfectly fresh egg was to be found. Young nearly as large as a Gallinule and eggs not hatched were in the same nest. The birds were not easily frightened from their nests, but would stretch up their long necks, and eye us until we were within a few feet of them before throwing themselves into the air. The young are covered sparsely with white down. Their nests are bulky, composed of the dead and broken-down rushes, about two feet in diameter, and situated from one to three feet above the water. Their complement of eggs is three or four. The eggs are broadly oval, of a pale greenish-blue color, and average 2.18 by 1.57 inches.
200— g —41.50 x 61.00 x 17.00 x 6.65. Apr. 10, Brownsville. = 201— 2? —38.00 x 56.00 x 15.00 x 5.50. Apr. 10, Brownsville.
GARZETTA CANDIDISSIMA, (Jacq.) Bp.—Little White Egret.
On May 15th, Iwas delighted to meet with this to me the prettiest of all the Herons in the salt-marshes, where it was breeding in innumer- able numbers in company with others of the family. I obtained num- bers of birds, eggs, and young. It builds a flat nest of rushes, about eight or ten inches in diameter, with a depression of about three inches, and it is supported by broken-down, living reeds at a height above the water of from six inches to three feet. The young fresh from the egg are covered well with white down, and when a few days old are very pretty, compared with young Herons. When I found them, the young were just hatching, and but few full families were out. The young do not vary as much in size as do A. egretta, Great White Egret. The eggs and nests are so near like those of A. leucoprymna, Louisiana Heron,
\
60 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
that the birds must be well marked, or shot on the nest, to be sure of their identification. Both kinds breed there side by side, in equal num- bers, and, fortunately, both are quite tame, so that one can approach carefully under the rushes to within a short distance, and can mark and follow the birds. I obtained many fresh eggs of this bird, and but for preferring Glossy Ibis, and having all the load we could manage for a rough road home, I should have taken more. The complement is four. The eggs are oval, of a pale greenish-blue, and average 1.66 by 1.25 inches.
427— 9 —23.25 x 37.00 x 9.50 x 3.50. May 15, Brownsville. 428— 9 —23.00 x 36.00 x 9.85 x 3.25. May 15, Brownsville.
HYDRANASSA TRICOLOR, (Miill.) Ridgw.— Louisiana Heron.
This Heron was not noticed until I found it breeding, May 15th, in the rushes of the salt-marshes between Brownsville and the coast. Its nest and eggs are so similar to those of Ardea candidissima, that one de- scription will answer for both. What little difference I find in the shape of the eggs is, that those of this species are rather longer and more pointed on an average. I have found, however, well identified eggs of each that cannot be told apart. The nests contained young of all ages up to one-fourth size; and I found about the same variation in the same clutch as I did in A. egretta, Great White Egret. Perfectly fresh eggs were very scarce in hundreds of nests examined. Four eggs are generally laid. The old birds were bold, and the contrast in colors made them look fine as they circled about our heads. The shape of the eggs is oblong-oval, and the color, like most of the Herons, a pale green- ish-blue. They average 1.78 by 1.29 inches.
425— 9 —26.25 x 38.00 x 9.65 x 3.15. May 15, Brownsville. 426— g —26.50 x 39.00 x 10.50 x 3.75. May 15, Brownsville.
427— $—26.50 x 38.00 x 10.00 x 3.50. May 16, Brownsville. 434— 9 —25.75 x 37.50 x 9.75 x 3.25. May 16, Brownsville.
DICHROMANASSA RUFA, (Bodd.) Ridgw.—Reddish Egret.
I only observed this Heron on the islands and Jagoons, near Corpus Christi Pass, in the middle of March. Both the adult and white young were shot. The proportion seemed to be largely in favor of the adult plumage. They were not at all shy. I have seen them alight on the oyster-beds, within range of me, when I have been in a rowboat, and they would let me approach within easy gunshot range before they would discontinue feeding or searching for food. They were exceed- ingly fat, more so, I think, than the Oyster-catchers. These and the Great Blue Herons were seen feeding together, and a few others of the family at this particular place. Iwas too early tor their eggs, but since my return I have received a set from there without any particulars. Their shape is long-oval and color pale greenish-blue. They average 2 by 1.47 inches.
34— 9 —27.50 x 46.50 x 12.50 x 4.50. Mar. 14, Padre Island.
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 61
FLORIDA CG:RULEA, (L.) Bd.—Little Blue Heron. I shot a single specimen of this species a few miles from Brownsville, and only saw two or three others in the same locality. 107— 9 —23.50 x 41.00 x 11.50 x 4.50. Mar. 29, Brownsville.
NYCTIARDEA NA&VIA, (Bodd.) Allen.—Night Heron.
Heard at night, as we were going down the coast, but not seen until we came upon the heronry in the salt-marshes between Brownsville and the coast. There I found it breeding, not in such numbers as oth- ers of the family, but still common. ‘The nests were bulky affairs, com- posed of the dead rushes, and placed near the water on broken-down and living rushes. Nearly all contained young, but I secured a set of three very fresh eggs. The old birds were exceedingly noisy and bold, and the young pugnacious from their exit from the eggs. They had no idea of leaving the nest at my approach, but, instead, would strike out at my hands, and, even when caught, would not cease to fight. Their nests were more filthy than the others; the young are half-vaked, and a miserable, vagabond-looking set they are. The usual number of eggs is four. Their color is bluish-white and shape very broadly oval. Their average size is 1.94 by 1.52.
NYCTHERODIUS VIOLACEUS, (L.) Reich.— Yellow-crowned Night Heron. Several were observed in swamps and thickets on Nueces Bay, near
Corpus Christi, on the 8th of March. None were obtained, however,
as they were shy and the thickets too difficult to penetrate.
ARDETTA EXILIS, (Gm.) Gr.—Least Bittern.
Occasionally seen about the marshes. I shot one and saw others at the great heronry, near Brownsville, on May 16th. I did not find its nest, but I am confident it breeds there.
438— $ —14.25 x 18.25 x 4.60 x 1.90. May 16, Brownsville.
GRUIDAL.
GRUS AMERICANA, (L.) Ord.— White Crane. i
I frequently saw these noble birds of the prairies feeding in the lagoons, as we went down the coast, and in the wet places about Brownsville, up to about April lst. They were always in pairs, and, as
usual, very shy. RALLIDZA.
RALLUS LONGIROSTBIS, Bodd.—Clapper Rail.
A few of this species were seen about Galveston only, and a single bird obtained. 3— 9 —14.60 x 20.00 x 5.75 x 2.50. Feb. 28, Galveston.
GALLINULA GALEATA, (Licht.) Bp.—Florida Gallinule.
The only place that I was sure of seeing this bird was at the ‘her- onry”. Here I saw quantities of them, and it is quite probable that I
62 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
saw them in company with Coots on the river. When gathering Ibis and Heron eggs, I heard constantly the notes of this bird and Fulica americana, and found its nest quite common in the same rushes. Its nest is built of dead rushes, and floats upon the water, moored to the stalks of growing reeds. I took one clutch of fourteen, another of nine, and another of seven, on May 16th, perfectly fresh. In color and mark- ings I see no variation from Florida specimens. They average 1.77 by
1.25. 447— 9 —14.00 x 22.25 x 6.75 x 2.75. May 16, Brownsville. 448— 9 —14.50 x 23.00 x 6.75 x 2.75. May 16, Brownsville.
FULICA AMERICANA, Gm.—American Coot.
Very abundant on the river between Brownsville and Hidalgo; and as our steamer came upon them, instead of flying they would generally paddle to the shore, run up the banks, and hide behind clumps of earth or roots. I found it breeding in about equal numbers with Gallinula galeata in the marshes below Brownsville. Sets of thirteen, eleven, and so on down, of fresh eggs were taken. The nests were made of rushes, fastened to the reeds in the densest parts, and floated on the water. The markings of the eggs are no diterent from Northwestern specimens. They average 1.94 by 1.30.
ANATIDA.
ANSER HYPERBOREUS, Pall.—Snow Goose.
On March 29th, while near the Rio Grande, about half-way between its mouth and Brownsville, I saw large numbers of this species, and shot one. The were feeding on the immense mud-flats of the marshes, and by the time I reached my bird it was covered with mud. I saw none later than this, although on the coast, Pe it was frequently observed about the lagoons and marshes.
DENDROCYGNA AUTUMNALIS, (Z.) Hyton.—Autumnal Tree Duck.
This fine Goose-like Duck is not uncommon in suitable places along the Lower Rio Grande. By the inhabitants it is called ‘‘Corn-field Duck”, from its habit of frequenting corn-fields for the grain, at which times it is acommon market bird. At the time of my observations, it was busy breeding, and the few seen were very shy. In going up the river from Brownsville, April 15th, single birds and grouns of two or three were met very frequently; but coming down, May 12th, they were much more abundant, gathered in flocks of ten or twelve on the sand-bars. At this time, I think the females were busy sitting on their eggs. I shot but one, and it was lost in the river. I did not come across its nest. Since my return, I received a letter from Dr. Finley, stationed at camp near Hidalgo, stating that he obtained a set of their eggs soon after I left, and that they are extremely difficult to find. He gave no further par- ticulars. He also secured a fine bird for me.
SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 63
ANAS OBSCURA, Gm.— Dusky Duck.
On May 19th, I shot two females of this species near Point Isabel, on the borders of a bayou. Each bird was shot flying alone, and I regret that I did not pay more attention to their dissection, and could not save their skins, for I suspect they were breeding in the vicinity. It was on the eve of my departure, and I had other birds occupying my attention.
DAFILA ACUTA, (L.) Jenyns.—Pintail Duck.
Only noticed along the coast on our way down, and about the marshes in the vicinity of Brownsville up to April 1st.
CHAULELASMUS STREPERUS, (L.) Gray.—Gadwall.
Very abundant about Galveston and Corpus Christi Bays in March. Not noticed on the Rio Grande.
MARECA AMERICANA, (Gm.) Steph.—Baldpate.
Only noticed in the lagoons and bays near the coast, as I was going down.
SPATULA CLYPEATA, (L.) Bote.—Shoveller.
Common along the river and lagoons in the interior. On April 26th, at Hidalgo, I saw three males and one female resting on a sun -bar, ail I obtained all but one male at a single discharge.
FULIGULA AFFINIS, Hyton.—Lesser Blackhead.
The most common duck seen on our way down. Corpus Christi Bay was filled with them, and they were so fat they could hardly fly.
PELECANIDA.
PELECANUS TRACHYRHYNCHUS, Lath.— White Pelican.
These conspicuous birds were seen on and near the coast constantly on my way down, and when I left the mouth of the Rio Grande, on May 20th, they were still there, but in much more limited numbers.. Up the river as far as Hidalgo, on May 2d, I saw a flock of twenty five sail over the town and river. On the evening of May 11th, I shot one from the steamer as I was going toward Brownsville. Near the salt-marshes and the heronry, between Brownsville and the coast, on May 16, they were standing on the shores of the lakes, and at Point Isabel, on May 19,1 saw a few. With my glass, I could plainly see that they had crests on the culmen, and, as both sexes have the crests, I should not _be suprised to hear of their breeding on our extreme Southern border. In fact, I think it altogether probable. Why not? They breed with Forster’s Terns, Sterna forstert, in the Northwest and British America, and, as I have found the latter breeding on the Rio Grande, I would expect also to find the White Pelican.
: Pe
64 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
PELECANUS FuUscUS, L.—Brown Pelican.
Abundant along the coast, and in the bayous and lagoons adjoining.. In going down, I was too early for their eggs, and, in coming back, too late. At Padre and Mustang Islands, they were very abundant, and a set of two eggs, laid after I left, was sent me from there, where they breed on the small sand islands, in great numbers, along with Gulls and Terns. Two eggs sent me from Padre Island measure 3.20 by 2.00 and
2.90 by 1.93. GRACULIDA.
GRACULUS MEXICANUS, (Brandt) Bp.—Mexican Cormorant.
Frequently seen on the extreme southern border, both about the salt ponds and marshes and the fresh-water lagoons up the river. I saw them in flocks of a dozen or more, but. generally in pairs or groups of three or four. I have seen them swimming, standing on the shore, and perched on snags over the water. No nests were found, but they undoubtedly breed there, particularly near the coast. I did not notice any at Hidalgo. Other members of this family were seen in great num- bers on the coast going down, but none obtained.
70— 9 —26.00 x 40.25 x 10.25 x 6.50. Mar. 24, Brownsville.
LARID A.
LARUS ARGENTATUS, Briinn.— Herring Gull. Not noticed far below Galveston, where, March ist, they were very abundant and moulting.
LARUS DELAWARENSIS, Ord.—Ring-billed Gull.
Very abundant at Galveston, March 1st, where it was in company with LD. argentatus and L. atricilla. It was not noticed farther south than Indianola.
LARUS ATRICILLA, L.—Laughing Gull.
Everywhere abundant coastwise, especially so about Corpus Christi Bay. On May 16th, when at the marshes, we would meet