THE BELTED KINGFISHER. 89 



bated onos tliis gloss is less noticeable. They are generallv sliort ovate and 

 sometimes ronniled ovate in slia})e. 



The average measurement of eighty-seven cggr^ in tlie United States 

 National Mnseum collection is 34.04 by 26.fi7 millimetres, or 1.34 by 1.0.") 

 inches. The largest egg of tlu; series measures 37.08 ])y 27.!>4 niillimetivs, or 

 1.4G by 1.10 inches; tlie smallest, 30.7.S by 26.42 millimetre.s, or 1.21 l)y 1.04 

 inches. 



The type spechnen, No. 20467 (PI. 1, Fig. 3), from a set of six eggs, Ben- 

 dire collection, was taken by tlie writer near Fort La[)wai, Idaho, on Jlay 11, 

 1870, and represents about an average-sized egg. 



13. Ceryle americana septentrionalis Siiarpe. 



TEXAN KINGFISHER. 



Alceilo cahanisi TscHUDi, Fauna Peruana, Ornithologie, 1844, 25,".. 



Ceryle amerimna septentrionalis Sharpe, Catalogiu! of BircLs, Britisli ^rusonin, XVTI, 



1892, l;J4. 



(B 118, O 287, R .383, C 424, tJ 391.) 



Geogeaphical range : From the I.stbmus of Panama nortli tliiou.^h Central America, 

 to northern Mexico, Chihuahua, and southwestern Texas. 



The Texan Kingfisher, the smallest representative of the AlrcdinidcB found 

 in the United States, is not nearly as well known as the Incited Kingfisher, and 

 its breeding range is confined to a comparatively small portion of western Texas, 

 while even here it appears to be of rather irreg'ular occurrence. It is reported 

 as fairly abundant along a number of the tributaries of the Guadalupe River, 

 in Comal County, also on some of the streams in Bexar and Edwards counties, 

 and thence westward along the various tributaries to the Rio Grande, like Devils 

 River, etc. Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, United States Army, met with it in Kenney 

 County, at Foi't Clark, at Strickland's Springs, and Las Moras Creek, and it 

 seems to be present on nearly every creek or stream whose waters are suffi- 

 ciently clear to enable it to make a living. It is not found regularly along the 

 shores of muddy streams, such as the lower Rio Grande and Nueces rivers and 

 others in southwestern Texas, and its presence seems to depend almost entirclv 

 on the clearness of tlie water. It reaches the northern limits of its range in 

 Texas, as far as known, in about latitude 30°, liiit in northern JMexico it ranges 

 at least a degree farther north. Dr. Iildgftr A. Mearns, United States Armv, 

 while on duty with the International Boundary Sm'vey, oljtained a specimen at 

 Pajon Bonito, Chihuahua, September 8, 1893, 10 nnles southeast of monunu'nt 

 66, close to the Arizona line, wliicli is the most northern record known to me. 

 It appears to be a constant resident in southwestern Texas, and bi-eeds wlierever 

 found. 



Its general haljits, food, and breeding habits are similar to those ()f the 

 Belted Kingfisher. Mr. W. Brewster described the first authentic eggs of this 

 species taken within our borders, in the "Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological 

 Club" (Vol. 4, 1S7!I, pp. 7!), 80). Jle says: "This l)eautiful little Kingfisher was 



