(•\iMMMri,(iiiM': Till-; (;oATsr<Ki;ns. 407 



wliito, i\\u\ oxt»'in1 aornsH Imtli vatips ; the others less contiinKHH. Miid yel- 

 lovvish-iul'niis JMiiciith lis NM'll iis iilM»vt«, rs|H,'iiallv on tin* iiiiirr VJine. 



Tiiu Iciiialts aic «jiiit«' simihir, Imt lack the white jiatdi ol tla- tail, have 

 more nuuierous lufniis sjiots on <iiiills, ami are |»eiha|>s more fulvcms in 

 ^'eiieral ap|tearanee. Voiinu hirds, however, wmiUl harilly he reed^^niiztMl as 

 the same, exa pt when taken with adults, owin^ to the |»reclnminam'e of a 

 pale einnamon shade al»ove, and a decided tinj^'e of tlu* same on all the 

 white and ;;ray markin;4s. Nearly all the juimaries lisive a horder of this 

 color. 



The variety anttipin)u'>i of South America (see syno]>sis) is very similar, 

 dill'erin'' merely in smaller dimensions. 



Habits. The Texan Ni«,dit-Ilawk occurs in tlie valley of the Kio Grande 

 from Texas on the east, throuj^h New Mexico, Arizona, Southern California, 

 and Cajte San Lucas. It is found in the northern provinces uf Mexico dur- 

 ing the summer months, and thence .southward to Central America. It was 

 found at Uuenas, in (luatemala, l>y Mr. Salvin, Jind also at Cobtm. Mr. 

 Xantns found it breeding at ( ape San Lucas in May. 



This species was first added to our fauna l»y Mr. Lawrence, in 1851, as a 

 bird of Texas, supposed to be C. JtninUiiniiis, and in ISof) described by the 

 same writer as a new sju'cies. 



According to Dr. Cooper, it makes its first appearance at Fort Mohave by 

 the 17th of Ajtril, and soon after becomes (piite numerous, hunting in com- 

 panies after sunset, and hiding iluring the day on the ground under h)W 

 bushes. liv the L'oth of Mav thev had all ])aired. but continued nearly 

 silent, making only a low croaking when a])])roaclied. They Hew in the 

 manner of the common species, but .seemed to sail in rather smaller circles. 

 Dr. Cooper found them as far west as the Coast Mountains. 



Dr. Coues states that this species is common in the Colorado Valley, even 

 farther north than the latitu<le of Fort Whip]de. It was not, however, met 

 with by him at that ])ort, nor indeetl for .some fifty miles to the south of it, 

 and then onlv in the summer. He adds that it extends from the Kio 

 Crande Valley westward to the racitic. It was found abundant at Cape 

 St. Lucas by Dr. Xantus. 



Mr. I)res.«<er found it very common at ^fatamoras during the summer sea- 

 son, and thence to San Antonio and to the eastward of that place. At San 

 Antonio, in the s])ring, he first noticed them on the l^d of May, when he 

 saw seven or eight flying about at noonday. A few days later they had be- 

 come very numerous. They remained about San Antonio until the end of 

 September, and soon after disappeared. He noticed none later than the first 

 week in October. 



Mr. J. H. Clark met with this species at TJinggold Barracks, Texas, in 

 June. Tliey were to be seen sitting about in the heat of the day, at which 

 time they could be easily a])proached. During the hottest days they did not 

 sally fortli in quest of food until late in the evening. On one occasion, near 



