ART. I.-NOTES ON THE ORNITHOLOGY OF THE LOWER RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS, FROM OBSERVATIONS MADE DURING THE SEASON OF 1877. BY GEORGE B. SENNETT, Of Erie, Pa. Edited, with annotations, by Dr. ELLIOTT COUES, U. S. A. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. ERIE, PA., December 1, 1877. SIR: 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. S. Webster, of Troy, N. Y., to go as my assistant, and securing 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 season 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 a few. 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 the fleas. The wood-ticks we could pick off or dig out, but the abominable "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, principally Lepidoptera. The birds and mammals you have inspected; the rarer eggs have been exchanged with Dr. T. M. Brewer, Capt. C. Bendire, 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 coöperation 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. E. 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 coöperation 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 in editing these notes, and for other courtesies rendered. Very truly yours, Dr. ELLIOTT COUES, U. S. A., GEO. B. SENNETT. Secretary United States Geological and Geographical Survey. TURDIDE. 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 was in good song. He is a capital 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 believe 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 ourselves, 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 groundcolor 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——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 in a dense thicket close by some heavy timber, a pair of this species gave me pleasure for a full half hour. This, I think, was the only time I ever saw them for more than a moment or two at a time. 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. 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 description 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 depression 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 Thrushes, viz: M. polyglottus, Mocking. bird; H. curvirostris, Curve-billed Thrush; and the one now under consideration; 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 eggs are marked very much like those of H. rufus (Brown Thrush), and are hardly distinguishable from them. The typical egg has a groundcolor 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, speckled 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 I 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. 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. I did 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 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 imagine a safer retreat from its more natural enemies-Hawks, Jays, &c. The female was shot as she came from the nest; and with little difficulty I took the nest entire, with its complement of four beautiful, fresh eggs. The average size of nest was about that of an ordinary fourquart 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-pencil 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 of a wine-glass. While peering 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 entire egg. 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--11.38 x 14.75 x 4.37 x 4.25. Apr. 2, Brownsville. |