'i9 15 J Simmons, Nesting of Texan Birds. 321 



Numenius americanus. Long-billed Curlew. — On June 1, 1910, 

 in company with Messrs. H. G. Hill and E. G. Ainslie, I came on a marshy- 

 pond near Almeda station, thirteen miles south of Houston. Through the 

 tall reeds and rushes we could see a number of birds on a short stretch of 

 silt between the reeds and water on the far side of the pond, and decided 

 to investigate. By crawling slowly through the tall grass and reeds we 

 were able to approach within about twenty yards of the birds before they 

 saw us. There were three adult Long-billed Curlew and seven smaller 

 ones, almost fully fledged but barely able to fly. 



The actions of the adults were especially interesting. Often one would 

 spring into the air for a few feet, circle the pond, and relight on the silt. 

 At other times it would merely spring into the air for a few feet, flap its 

 wings several times and then alight, raising its wings over its back as it did 

 so, and then refolding them. 



Finally, as one of the adults flew up and circled the pond, it observed us 

 as we lay at full length in the tall grass. At the sound of the hoarse, noisy 

 alarm call the whole flock took wing and flew about a hundred yards, dis- 

 appearing into the tall marsh grass. As I had expected, the flight of the 

 smaller birds was exceedingly labored and heavy. After giving the alarm, 

 the adult circled the pond again and followed the flock. 



The number of birds puzzled me greatly. It is not unlikely that this 

 flock was composed of two families, the younger birds being doubtless 

 reared somewhere in the near vicinity. 



Colinus virginianus virginianus. Bob-white. — During the five 

 breeding seasons covered by this paper I found but two nests of this fairly 

 common resident. 



The first, May 26, 1912, contained thirteen eggs, the nest being under 

 the edge of a bale of hay in an old shed on the prairie not far from a ranch 

 house about a mile southeast of Pierce Junction. Entrance on the north 

 side of the bale, with the cavity of the nest slightly sunk in the ground; 

 well lined with dead grasses. Nest quite difficult to locate and only found 

 by flushing the bird. 



The second, July 20, 1912, contained ten heavily incubated eggs. The 

 nest was skilfully concealed in a small tangled clump containing a black- 

 berry vine, several weeds and several thick tussocks of prairie grass, in a 

 weedy old pasture on the edge of the pine woods, about four and a half 

 miles west of the city. The pasture was sprinkled with such small thickets 

 as the one that contained the nest. The nest was but fifty feet from the 

 edge of the timber, where the pine woods were encroaching on the prairie. 

 The nesting cavity was well arched, sunk slightly in the ground, and faced 

 the east. 



The following day, on visiting the nest, I found all of the eggs broken 

 and scattered 'about in front of the thicket, perhaps the work of the parent 

 itself, or, what is more likely, the work of some four-footed enemy. 



The cavity was five and a half inches from side to side, and five inches 

 from top to bottom; it was well lined with dry grasses. 



