48 



I'HE OOLOGIS'J'. 



342. Buteo swainsoni. Swainson's 

 Hawk. Occurs early as a migrant. A 

 few apparently spend the winter. None 

 breed. 



349- Aquila chryscetos. Golden 

 Eagle. In March '96 I saw a mature 

 bird of this species in a small tree in 

 the edge of a prairie. It was very tame 

 and I rode within a few rods of it be- 

 fore it flew away. Not having a gun I 

 could not take it. The occurrence of 

 this bird here was a surprise to me, but 

 I saw it distinctly; the fully leathered 

 tarsus allaying all doubts. I am per- 

 fectly familiar with the bird having 

 seen it many times. I am also familiar 

 with the different phases of H. leucoce- 

 phalus and could not have confused 

 them. 



852. Haliaeetus leucocephalus. Bald 

 Eagle. Not very common, though 

 could not be called rare. Feeds eager- 

 ly upon the myriads of water fowl re- 

 sorting here during the winter. Hence, 

 they are to be found in the greatest 

 plenty in the vicinity of lakes, etc. 

 They breed here, placing their enor- 

 mous nests in the tops of trees varying 

 in height from 15 to 50 feet. Eggs 2 in 

 number. Breed in November. 



356. Falco peregrinus anatum. Duck 

 Hawk Tolerably common winter res- 

 ident. Preys on birds as large as Zen- 

 aidura macroura. I have seen it flying 

 with adult birds of this species, the 

 weight of the dove almost dragging it 

 to the ground. Does not occur in sum- 

 mer. 



358! Falco richardsoni. Richard- 

 son's Falcon. Rare winter resident. 

 Have seen it but a few times. 



360. Falco sparverius. American 

 Sparrow Hawk. Very common in 

 winter though uone remain to breed. 



363. Polyborus cheriway. Caracara. 

 Common and constant resident, though 

 found in greater abundance in summer 

 than in winter. Breeds commonly. 

 Nest composed chiefly of weed stems, 

 with few sticks in foundation and ab- 



solutely no lining. Nest placed in 

 small tree on prairie or in top of chap- 

 aral but a few feet up. Eggs two or 

 three in number. Breeding season 

 very extended embracing the months 

 of February. March, Api-il, May and 

 June. 



360. Strix pratincola American 

 Barn Owl Not common. Formerly 

 bred in caves in arroya banks, but I do 

 not think it does so now. Found one 

 frozen during the winter of '97. 



368a. Syrnium nebulosuni alleni. 

 Florida Barred Owl. Fairly com- 

 mon resident in all parts of the county, 

 but much more abundant in the deep 

 timber bordering the 'San Antonio 

 River. Breeds in February and March 

 selecting a natural cavity in a tree in 

 which to deposit the two or three white 

 eggs. 



373b. Megascops asio mccalli. Tex- 

 an S CREECH Owl. This Owl is rare at 

 all seasons and I have found its nest 

 but once. On April 18, 1898, I flushed 

 one from a natural cavity on upper side 

 of a branch of oak tree and in the hol- 

 low found four heavily incubated eggs. 



375a. Bubo viryinians subarticus. 

 Western Horned Owl. The most 

 abundant Owl in the county. Constant 

 resident. Breeds commonly, selecting 

 old nests of the Buteos and Polyborus 

 cheriway, much more often the former 

 than the latter. Seldom in hollow 

 trees. I have found them nesting in 

 prairie mottes, miles from wooded 

 country. Lay 2 or 3 eggs, breeding 

 during the months of January. Febru- 

 ary and March. 



378. Speotyto cunicularia hypogaea. 

 Burrowing Owl Fairly common 

 throughout the year, though more are 

 seen in winter. Some remain to breed, 

 using the holes of the small burrowing 

 mammals for that purpose. 



James J. Carroll, 

 Refugio, Texas. 



