30 Mr. H. E. Dresser on the Birds of Southern Texas. 



Young male. Upper mandible dull bluish-brown, light at base ; 

 under mandible dull light blue ; iris reddish-brown ; legs dull 

 light bluish. 



Adult female. Upper mandible dark brownish-horn ; under 

 mandible light bi'own; legs light brownish-blue; iris reddish- 

 brown. 



Grus AMERICANA (Liunseus). Whooping Crane. 



On my first visit to the town lagoon at Matamoras, in June 

 1863, I saw a couple of this Crane, and subsequently saw a 

 small flock of seven or eight j but they were so wary that I only 

 succeeded in shooting two, one of which fell into the Rio Grande 

 and was lost. I inquired of the Mexicans as to where they bred, 

 and was told that their eggs could be procured at a lagoon some 

 distance to the south-west of Bagdad (Boca del Rio Grande) ; 

 but, partly owing to the want of leisure, and partly to the un- 

 settled and dangerous state of the country, I was unable to go 

 there. On my return to Matamoras in 1864 I saw none at the 

 lagoons near there, and therefore have no specimen in my col- 

 lection. 



During my rambles in Texas I only saw this bird on two or 

 three occasions near San Antonio, and once at Point Isabel ; 

 but I was told that it is occasionally seen on Galveston Island, 

 and at the mouth of the Brazos River. 



Grus canadensis (Linnaeus). Sandhill-Crane. 



Near Matamoras I never saw the Sandhill- Crane; but on our 

 journey from Brownsville to San Antonio, in September 1863, 

 we saw birds of this species every day. During the winter they 

 were abundant near San Antonio, but disappeared towards the 

 spring. I shot several for the pot, and found them excellent 

 eating, indeed almost equal in that respect to Wild Turkeys. 

 I was told that they breed near Galveston and in Matagordo 

 Bay ; and one was sent to me from Fort Stockton by Colonel 

 M'Cormick. 



Grus fraterculus, Cassin. Little Crane. 



I noticed the Little Crane several times near San Antonio, 

 and once near the Rio Nueces, and do not think it is of uncom- 

 mon occurrence in Southern Texas. I have one single speci- 



