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. [ 3 Subcærulea, dorso medio virenti-flavo, alis albo bifasciatis, palpebris nigris immaculatis, loris lineáque frontali nigerrimis; subtus flava, jugulo aurantiaco, abdomine infimo, hypochondriis crissoque albis. 3, 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 also as 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. Eyelids 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 0.62-0.65; 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 lightercolored upper parts, and less of the yellow below, pitiayumi having deep plumbeousblue 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, instead 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 pitiayumi 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. nigrilora; but its probable gradation into pitiayumi through Mexican and Central American specimens remains to be shown. It is thoroughly distinct from P. americana.—E. C.] On April 20th, soon after reaching Hidalgo, I was directed up the river some four miles by road, and there shot the first three specimens 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 8th, another was shot in a dense forest about half a mile from where the first three were obtained. Several 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 knowledge 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: 66 'My nest of Parula was taken July 5th, about five miles from here. It 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 horsehairs; entrance on side; contained three young about half-fledged. Parents very bold, but thinking they were americana I did not shoot them." 248-3-4.37 x 6.75 x 2.25 x 1.68. Apr. 20, Hidalgo. HELMINTHOPHAGA RUFICAPILLA, (Wils.) Bd.-Nashville Warbler. 395-4.50 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. DENDROCA 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. 251-8-5.00 x 7.75 x 2.63 x 2.12. Apr. 20, Hidalgo. DENDROCA 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 a few also about Brownsville up to about April 15. I am told that some remain all summer on the southern border, but I saw no signs of it. DENDROCA 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. 84-7-5.37 x 8.50 x 2.5 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 lagoon, 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 everywhere else, more frequently heard than seen. Its first choice is a thick brushfence. 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 4 inches in diameter by 24 deep; inside, 2 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. 182-7-7.12 x 9.75 x 3.13 x 3.12. Apr. 8, Brownsville. [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.] [See my "Corrections of Nomenclature in the Genus Siurus". <Bull. Nuttall Club, ii. 1877, 33.-E. C.] 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 timber on the very bank of the river. TANAGRIDE. PYRANGA ESTIVA, (L.) V.-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 undergrowth 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 expecting 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 horizontal 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 small 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. Outside diameter was 5 inches by 44, and depth of 23; inside diameter 2 inches, and 12 deep, with the rim drawn in slightly. 253-6-7.75 x 12.00 x 3.75 x 3.00. Apr. 20, Hidalgo. HIRUNDINIDE. 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. TACHYCINETA BICOLOR, (V.) Coues.-White-bellied Swallow. None were seen lower down the river than Hidalgo, much to our wonder, 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 remaining 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 so on. As soon as a shelf is formed large enough to hold the bird, it stands on it and works from within. The pair work in 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 regularly over the whole egg, and others with far the greater number of spots on the larger end. 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. |