220 [June, 



of them continued to incubate until Sonne tinne in the month of August. Before 

 the latter part of September, however, nearly all of them had disappeared from 

 about Santa Fe. 



40. C. OBSCURUS, Nobis. Dusky Finch. 



Length (when killed) 6 inches ; wing 2 8-lOths inches ; front, crown and back, 

 dark brownish ash, striped with dark dusky brown; wings and tail dusky brown, 

 each feather edged with brownish white; the greater and lesser wing coverts 

 more broadly edged with the same, making two faint bars on the wing; all the 

 under parts dull white, striped with dark dusky brown ; tail slightly forked ; bill 

 slightly curved, upper mandible dusky, lower mandible paler, inclining to yel- 

 low; iris hazel; feet dark dusky. This was the female. 



The male, though with lighter colors, did not appear to differ greatly from the 

 female ; nor could I, at a short distance, distinguish the usual tinge of red that 

 marks this genus. 



The song of the male consists of a few pleasing notes, without the volume or 

 compass of voice of the preceding species. I was much disappointed in not being 

 able to secure the male. I saw but one pair ; and after following them for some 

 time and observing their habits ; having them in line, I shot the female, from my 

 horse, with a pistol, whereupon the male took wing, and eluded all further search. 

 The same ground was repeatedly hunted afterwards, but without success. This 

 was near Santa Fe. 



COLAPTES, Swaiiis. 



41. C. coLLARis, Vig. Red-shafted Woodpecker. 

 Appeared in N. Mexico in September. 



Geococcyx, Wagl. 



42. G. YiATicus, Wagler. Paisano. 



I met with this bird, occasionally, throughout western Texas and New 

 Mexico. 



EcTOPisTES, Swains. 



43. E. Carolinensis, Linn. Turtle Dove. 



This species is the only one of the family that I met with on this expedition. 

 It was very common in N. Mexico during the summer. On the Rio Grande fur- 

 ther South, I found on a former occasion, between Matamoras and Camargo, five 

 species, viz: Z.. Amabilis, Z. Leucoptera, C . rasseri7ia,l^. Carolinensis^ and 

 C. Solitaria. Most of them seem to confine themselves to the warmer latitudes. 



Oetyx, Seepk. 



44. O. ViRGiNiANA, Li)in. Common Quail, or American Partridge. 



Of four species oi Odontophorino: found in Western Texas, the habitat of each 

 of which is confined to an almost distinct locality or region, this was the first met 

 with on this occasion. It was extremely numerous about San Antonio ; and 

 thence, beyond the settlements to the San Pedro, or Devil's river, (a distance of 

 170 miles, westwardly, by the route travelled to the Rio Grande,) it was more or 

 less common. This region, it is worthy of note, is by far the best on the whole 

 route to El Paso; (a distance by the trail of 673 m.) That is to say, it is a better 

 watered country, has a richer soil, and produces spontaneously a greater variety 



