Spring Migration (1914) at Houston, Tex. 135 



April 18, when inimbeis wei-e observed feeding along a shallow ditch 

 just west of Houston. 



6. Fisohia maculata. Pectoral Sandpiper. — Quite a rare migrant on 

 the wet prairies and rice fields, but scarce near the city. Between March 

 7 and May 2, a few were noted feeding along the shillow ditch men- 

 tioned above, and a few in small flocks on the wet prairies. 



7. PiscoMa fuscicollis. White-rumped Sandpiper. — May 9 a small 

 flock was noted on a small stretch of prairie just northeast of the 

 city, and the following day (May 10) on visiting the prairie west of the 

 city I observed numerous small flocks. That locality was well within 

 the city limits and but a short distance from the edge of the residence 

 district. Flock after flock passed and repassed me, their white rumps 

 standing out j^lainly as they wheeled this way and that. 



8. Pisobia mimdiUa. Least Sandpiper. — Three were observed April 

 18, in company with a few Solitary Sandpipers along the small ditch 

 previously mentioned. 



9. Elanoidcs forficaius. Swallow-tailed Kite; and 



10. Ictinia misisippiensis. Mississippi Kite.— These two Kites, though 

 listed as summer residents, should more properly be stated to occur 

 irregularly during summer, for they are both very rare. Whenever noted, 

 the birds were seen singly and sailing rapidly overhead on motionless 

 Viings. 



11. Biilco phituplerus. Broad-winged Hawk.— From the few records 

 I have, I can hardly state just how the bird occurs. Generally they are 

 only noted during the spring migration, and then only rarely. This year 

 (1914) one was noted on the edge of the Buffalo Bayou woods west of 

 the city on March 21, and another in about the same locality April 18. 



12. Asio wilsonianus. Long-eared Owl.— This year I had the pleasure 

 of examining an odoriferous specimen of this bird shot March 19 in the 

 deep woods on Buffalo Bayou a few miles west of the city, and called 

 to my attention two days later by the negro who caused the avieide, 

 though not until the body had been shorn of its wings and consigned to 

 the scrap heap. This is my second record for the region. 



13. CJiordeiles virginianus chapmani. Florida Nighthawk. — The migra- 

 tion of Nighthawks during my five years in the vicinity of Houston has 

 been of particular interest to me because of the regularity of first 

 arrivals. My belief that they arrive each year on the 19th of April has 

 thus far held true, on that day a single bird being seen as it flew high 

 over the city. For the first few days they were only noted by ones 

 and twos. And then on the 24th came a closely packed flock, numbering 

 about thirty birds, which flew low over the city and disappeared to the 

 north. A few days later another such flock was observed. By the last 

 of May the last straggling migrants had passed, leaving only our 

 summer resident birds. 



14. CJiaetnra pclagica. Chimney Swift. — My dates for the first 



