6S<^ BIRDS OF SOUTinVESTI'^RN TEXAS. 



at'tei-wani. 1 was several limes witliiu 10 or 15 leet of the bird, and 

 my previous experience with the species in Colorado having made 

 me quite familiar with its appearance and habits, it is very unlikely 

 that my identification was incorrect. Neither pressor, Brown, or Han- 

 cock make any mention of the bird in their respective papers, and Ben- 

 nett found it only on the Rio Grande, where he observed A^ery few of 

 them. ^Merrill apparently did not find it at Brownsville. 



(;euu8 CARDINALIS JioxAi'AUTE. 



203. Cardinalis cardinalis (Linn.). Cardinal. 



This bird was seen at all of the places visited, but was less at Corpus 

 Christi than elsewhere. At Beeville one mornino- (February 17) I heard 

 five males singing at the sametime,but it was at San Antonio that they 

 were found in the greatest abundance. On one occasion, in a particularly 

 favored bird haunt near the river, I saw at least thirty in sight at the 

 same instant. They were to be found everywhere — in the yards and 

 gardens in town, in the thickets along the river, and in the mesquite. 

 In December three-fonrths of the birds observed were apparently 

 females, but later in the season the discrepancy, while still existing, 

 was not so marked. They seemed to be quite gregarious in their habits, 

 as near San Antonio I never saw less than three or four together. Ac- 

 cording to Brown, it is an abundant resident at Boerue. 



Genus PYRRHULOXIA Bonaparte. 



204. Pyrrhuloxia siuuata (I3onap.). Texan Cardinal. 



I did not see many of these Cardinals at Corpus Christi, but Mr. 

 Triour informed me that they were common in suitable places near 

 town. At Beeville they were rather abundant in shrubbery, near 

 ponds, etc., associating with the usual fringilliue assemblages to be 

 found in such places. No song was heard. Their alarm note is hardly 

 distinguishable from that of the Virginia Cardinal. The females 

 seemed to be more numerous than the males; out of fourteen speci- 

 mens secured but three were males. The species was not observed at 

 either San Antonio or Leon Springs, but it doubtless occurs at both 

 places, as Brown took two specimens at Boerne— February 2 and April 

 5. It is not in Dresser's list, nor did Hancock apparently meet with it 

 at Corpus Christi. 



Genns HABIA Eeichenbach. 



205. Habia ludoviciana (Linn.). Kose-breaated Grosbeak. 



Dresser's paper contains the only record of the occurrence of this bird 

 iri southwestern Texas that I am aware of. It is merely a brief note by 

 Dr. neermann to the effect that it was " once noticed near San Antonio." 



Genus PASSERINA Vieiixot. 



206. Pas.serina cyanea (Linn.). ludioo Bunting. 



At Corpus Christi Hancock saw a few of these birds during his stay 

 there. Dresser did not observe the species at all. 



