246 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 
dense chaparral, they are abundant in those places, and their 
hoarse cries are the first thing heard by the traveller on awaking 
in the morning. During the day, unless rainy or cloudy, the 
birds are rarely seen or heard, but shortly before sunrise and 
sunset they mount the topmost branch of a dead tree, and 
make the woods ring with their discordant notes. Contrary 
to almost every description of their cry which I have seen, it 
consists of three syllables, though occasionally a fourth is 
added. When one bird begins to cry, the nearest bird joins 
in at the second note, and in this way the fourth syllable is 
made; but they keep such good time that it is often very diff- 
cult to satisfy oneself that this is the fact. I cannot say cer- 
tainly whether the female utters this cry as well as the male, 
but there is a well-marked anatomical distinction in the sexes 
in regard to the development of the trachea. In the male 
this passes down the outside of the pectoral muscles, beneath 
the skin, to within about one inch of the end of the sternum ; 
it then doubles on itself and passes up, still on the right side 
of the keel, to descend within the thorax in the usual manner. 
This duplicature is wanting in the female. These birds are 
much hunted for the Brownsville market, though their flesh is 
not particularly good, and the body very small for the apparent 
size of the bird. Easily domesticated, they become trouble- 
somely familiar, and decided nuisances when kept about the 
house.” 
Mr. J. A. Singley says :—“ All the nests I found were in 
mesquite stubs, where the limbs had been cut off to make 
brush-fences. These limbs are never cut close to the tree, 
and being close together form a cavity ; leaves and twigs will 
fall in this and accumulate, and the bird occupies it as a nest- 
ing site. I did not find a nest that I could say was built by 
the bird. When the nest is approached the bird quietly flies 
off, rarely remaining in sight, and soon calls up its mate.” 
Mr. George B. Sennett makes the following statement :— 
«The chicks are hatched well-coated with down, and they 
