Spring Migration (1914) at Houston, Tex. 139 



rest would straggle after, reminding us of a flock of Bluebirds. Their 

 thin, beady, pulsating notes (pee-ee-ec-ee-ee, reminding one of the 

 screeching of a bearing that needs a visit of the oil-can) were almost 

 continually heard while we were in that locality. 



During the last of March a few more were observed, and a few during 

 April, but rarely. Last observed May 9. 



35. Naiunis hiemalis hiemalis. Winter Wren. — On March 28, while 

 wandering through the woodlands on Buffalo Bayou about a mile west 

 of the city, I observed a single bird of this species in a tangled brush 

 heap in a. mixed portion of the woods where there was nuich underbrush. 

 Though I watched it for some time, the bird w^as not heard to utter 

 a sound. 



On visiting the locality April 4 I again observed the bird, or an- 

 other of the same species, and remained for some time to observe it. 

 Finally it left the brush heap and crept out on an old pine log nearby, 

 and, much to my surprise, sang a very pretty little song, reminding me of 

 the song of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet, though not of such a warbling 

 nature, containing more trills and tinkling notes. 



3*3. Polioptila caerulea caerulea. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. — To me the 

 191i migration of Gnatcatchers was little short of wonderful. Hereto- 

 fore they have been quite scarce, even during migrations, and were 

 always observed in the tallest forest trees. This season they were 

 especially abundant. 



On March 15, while in the cut-over timber on White Oak Bayou, 

 northwest of the city, Mr. Westgate and myself observed the first Gnat- 

 catcher of the season. We were watching a number of Myrtle Warblers 

 feeding, when near at hand we heard a familiar twanging note, very 

 thin and purring, sounding like the sping of a .22 rifle. We soon located 

 the bird, a male, in the branches of an oak near at hand. 



Tliat afternoon five males and two females were observed. 



On March 21 I walked westward from the city along the edge of the 

 timber which borders Buffalo Bayou on the south. Gnatcatchers were 

 everywhere, attracting attention by their peculiar call note. Anywhere 

 and everywhere I observed them : in the deepest parts of the woods, on the 

 lower branches of trees, on the edges of clearings and woods, and even 

 on the ground. Numbers were observed on the barbed wires of the 

 fences along the country road. They were not at all shy, frequently 

 allowing me to approach within two or three feet of them. On one 

 occasion in a small clearing in the timber I was watching a Downy 

 Woodpecker tapping on a dead bough in a pile of brushwood on the 

 ground, when a pair of Gnatcatchers lit on the brush, hopped actively 

 about and lit on the ground. As they moved along on terra frma they 

 looked for the world like a pair of miniature Mockingbirds, their long 

 tails and general color strengthening that impression. 



In the distance of less than two miles along the old road I observed 



