2 70 Attvvater, Birds of San Antonio. Texan. IJu'y- 



The San Antonio Kivcr rises in the liills ;il)ont two miles nortli 

 of the city, flowins^ south through the county. Fifteen miles 

 from the city it is joined by the Medina River, running in from 

 the northwest. 



The timber growing along these river bottoms consists princi- 

 pally of pecan, cottonvvood, hackberry and willows, with some 

 scattered elms, boxwood, mulberries and cypress trees. Quite a 

 variety of trees of smaller growth are also found, and the ^vhole 

 is often matted together with a tangled growth of vines and 

 creepers. On the higher lands away from the rivers, the pre- 

 vailing growth is mesquite and live oak, interspersed with 

 patches of huisache, 'thornN' lirush', and 'prickly pear' or cactus, 

 forming the growth so well known as 'chaparral.' San Antonio 

 is just north of the thick chaparral region, for though these 

 stunted growths occur north of this point, it is only in scattered 

 groups and isolated areas. In the soutliern part of the county 

 there is a large sandy region covered with black oak and hickory 

 trees. The growth on the hills and rocky country consists 

 largely of dwarf live oaks and another smaller kind of oak. It is 

 worthy of mention, that the greater portion of the vast region to 

 the south of San Antonio, now covered by mesquite and chap- 

 arral, was open prairie fifteen or twenty years ago. 



The present list is the result of observations taken during the 

 spring migrations and the summers of I SS4, 1S85, 1SS9, 1890 and 

 i89[. I have not had opportunity for paying close attention to 

 birds during the fall migrations, nor until January of each year. 

 There are some marshes and lagoons in some parts of the county, 

 but as I have only been able to pay occasional visits to these 

 places, 1 have probably missed some waders and other water 

 birds whicli undoubtedly occur at these localities. Atone of the 

 artilicial lakes, on the west side of the city, some Grebes are 

 common in winter and made their nests in 1SS9 and 1S90, but 

 not being allowed to shoot them, I was iniable to identify them. 

 Last spring I obtained permission to procure specimens, but 

 found none nesting there ; I think they left on accoimt of their 

 nests being destroyed by boys diu-ing the previous two years. I 

 have also seen Gulls, Terns, Sandpipers, etc., around these lakes, 

 but for the reason stated was unable to procure specimens. 



There is a collection of stuffed birds at Boerne in Kendall 

 County, thirty miles northwest of San Antonio, belonging to 



