146 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED 8TATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



118. Autrostomus vociferus, (Wils.) 



liather uiicominou iu spring and autumn. 



119. Chordeiles popetue, (Vieill.) 



Appears to be a rather rare visitant in spring and autumn, — 

 (Dresser, Ibis, 18G3, 471.) 



120. Chordeiles popetue var. henryi, Cassiu. 



Abundant during the summer months, arriving about the 1st of 

 Ai)ril, and leaving iu September. Deposit their eggs near the edges 

 of prairies. Specimens said by Eidgway to be smaller than typical 

 henryi. — (C. henryi, Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 471.) 



121. 'Chordeiles acutipennis var. texensis, Lawr. 



Common sumnjer visitor, arriving early in April. While var. henryi 

 is usually found about prairies at some distance from houses, the pres- 

 ent species is most plentiful just outsideof Brownsville, and I have found 

 several sets of eggs within the fort. These are usually deposited in ex- 

 posed situations, among sparse chaparral, on ground baked almost as 

 hard as brick by the intense heat of the sun. One set of eggs was placed 

 on a small piece of tin, within a foot or two of a frequented path. The 

 female sits close, and when flushed flies a few feet and speedily returns 

 to its eggs. They make no attempt to decoy an intruder away. I have 

 ridden up to within five feet of a female on her eggs, dismounted, tied 

 my horse, and put my hand on the bird before she would move. This 

 species is more strictly crei)uscular than var. henryi or popetue, and is very 

 seldom seen on the wing during the day. The notes are a mewing call, 

 and a very curious call that is with difliculty described. It is somewhat 

 like the distant and very rapid tapi)ing of a large Woodpecker, accom- 

 panied by a humming sound, and it is almost impossible to tell in what 

 dinction or at what distance the bird is that makes the noise. Both 

 these notes are uttered on the wing or on the ground, and by both sexes. 

 The eggs vary considerably, but exactly resemble the surface on which 

 they are placed. The ground color is usually clay: some are very spar- 

 ingly dotted with brown; others mottled with light-brown and obscure 

 lilae; others still are so thickly marbled with brown and lilac ou a dark 

 ground as togive them a granite-like appearance. They average 1.07 

 l)\ .77.— ((7. texensis, Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 471. — Sennett, B. Rio 

 Grande, 34.) 



122. Chaetura pelagica, (Linn.') 



Not uncommon during the migrations, arriving about March 20 and 

 returning iu September. 



123. Trochilus colubris, Liuu. 



Abundant during the spring and autumn migrations, but I was not 

 able to satisfy myself that any remained to breed or to pass the winter, 



