346 BULLETIN 16 2, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



northern parulas. Handsome green jays were sneaking about in 

 the larger trees, surprisingly inconspicuous in spite of their gaudy 

 colors. Brilliant Derby flycatchers proclaimed their noisy presence 

 in loud, clamorous notes from the tree tops. Sennett's thrashers 

 scolded us in the thickets, and the confiding little Texas sparrows 

 hopped about on the ground near us, scratching among the dead 

 leaves. Many other birds were seen, but the most conspicuous of 

 all were the doves; the woods and the thickets almost constantly 

 resounded with the deep-toned notes of the w T hite-fronted, the tire- 

 some who cooks for you of the white-winged, and the soft cooing of 

 the mourning dove. Such is the home of the chachalaca with some 

 of its neighbors. 



As we entered the chaparral before sunrise we heard the warning 

 cry of the chachalaca on all sides ; the woods fairly resounded with 

 its cries, some of which sounded like a watchman's rattle, more 

 wooden than metallic in quality; the birds were very shy and seldom 

 seen; occasionally we saw one, perched on some small tree top and 

 giving its challenge or battle cry; but as soon as it realized that it 

 was observed, it would sail down into the thicket and keep still. 



Much of the following information is taken from some very full 

 notes obtained from Mr. Farmer. He promised to send me some 

 notes, but unfortunately he has now gone to the " happy hunting 

 grounds." My friend Frederic H. Kennard was more successful and 

 has very kindly placed these notes at my disposal. According to Mr. 

 Farmer's personal knowledge, the chachalaca occurs in Cameron, 

 Hidalgo, Starr, Zapata, Willacy, and Kenedy Counties in Texas; the 

 birds are never permanently located more than a mile from water; 

 if the water dries up all about, they move; otherwise they stick to 

 one place throughout the year. 



Courtship. — According to Mr. Farmer, courtship begins about 

 March 20 in ordinary seasons, with the chachalac challenge calls of 

 the male, perched in the tops of the highest trees in the chaparral; 

 other males answer from every direction in competition, each trying 

 to " outholler " the others. The females can make a similar call, but 

 it is on a higher key and less in volume. The concert begins at about 

 sunrise or a little before. The male's call to the female is like the 

 challenge, but it is less harsh and ends with a soft note. The females 

 may climb up into the tree beneath the male, but in a less conspic- 

 uous place, generally keeping under cover and answering the male 

 in their own way chattering, talking, and scolding. After the male 

 has " hollered himself out " in the tree, he comes down to the ground 

 and devotes himself to the females, walking about and strutting with 

 head erect and making a low call hardly to be heard a short distance 

 away. If another male appears he is promptly chased off. In Mr. 



