60 



ORmTHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 12-:N'o. 4 



I. surinamensis). The latter frequented a 

 broad sheet of water in Kickapoo Creek, 

 skimnjing over the surface catching minnow, 

 and occasionally making flights over the neigh- 

 boring prairie after grass-hoppers. They re- 

 mained in the neighborhood several days and 

 here were secured by Mr. J. H. Loomis. who 

 identified them, and on the following day I shot 

 four more. The Upland Plover, (Bartramia 

 lowjicauda) were now numerous, though gener- 

 ally in poor condition, and on the afternoon of 

 August 31st, a party consisting of Messrs. John 

 H. and Chester Loomis, Mr. Eidge Goodrum 

 and myself drove out in a buggy to look for a 

 large flock of Long-billed Curlew, seen in the 

 vicinity a day or two previous. 



Some two dozen U])land Plover were rapidly 

 secured, and the birds hardly moved as we 

 would drive within twenty or thirty steps of 

 them, often rising only to settle down again 

 about twenty steps further on, and, as it grew 

 later, we suddenly drove nearly over a flock of 

 Mountain Plover, {Podasocys montanus) secur- 

 ing a goodly quantity. By a lucky shot into a 

 second flock of the latter Plover, Mr. Goodrum 

 secured one of them and also a fine Sandpiper, 

 which on inspection proved to be the BufF-head- 

 ed Sandpiper, (IVungates rufescens) -^ its first 

 occurrence in this locality, if not in Texas. 

 Returning home, Mr. Chester Loomis, by 

 another fortunate shot, secured what proved 

 to be a second ornithological prize — a Black- 

 bellied Plover, {Squatarola helvetica.) This 

 also is the first record for this locality and 

 also for Texas. A Greater Yellow Legs, {Tot- 

 anus melanoleucus) and a Lesser Yellow Legs, 

 {T. flavipes) were also taken, but no Curlew 

 were observed, except two flying over. The 

 sun was setting so they were unmolested, and 

 pausing to take in a Chapparal Cock, (Geococrt/x 

 californianus)\\e returned home, seeing a Badger 

 making his way into a prairie dog hole as we 

 passed close b}'. 



Numbers of Antelope were noticed. They 

 are untouched on this ranche, so are very gen- 

 tle. No Ducks were seen, though Teal had 

 been here a week, and no Quail; the latter 

 hunting the sugar cane fields. Doves were 

 numeious in the swags and we might have 

 taken treble the number of Plover shot but 

 refrained. Other Sandpipers seen were the 

 Solitary, the Spotted and a number of Least 

 or Semi-palmated Sandpiper, while the ubiq- 

 uitous Killdeer was everywheie. 



On our retui-n we compared the Black-bellied 

 Plover with a fine Golden Plover, sliot last 

 April, and made about one dozen skins, includ- 



ing two Redstarts, (*S'. riiticiUa) shot in morn- 

 ing; ending a very pleasant day and making 



two valuable additions to Mr. 

 collection of Texas birds. 



J. II. Loomis' 



The Evening Grosbeak in Minnesota. 



RY GEO. G. CANTWELI., MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. 



This beautiful bird, peculiar to the North- 

 west, is the largest and handsomest of its race. 

 They are the brightest of our northern visitors, 

 arriving in this locality about the first of Janu- 

 ary when cold weather sets in, and may be seen 

 in flocks of from ten to thirty almost any day. 

 feeding on the seeds of the maple. At this time 

 of the year the males greatly outnumber the 

 females, while in the spring the females pre- 

 dominate and scarcely a male can be found. 



The briglit old male as he sits in the top of a 

 tree on a bright day appears to be a lump of 

 shining gold, but as soon as killed, they seem 

 to lose their lustre, although he is still a beauty ; 

 the snow-white secondary quills contrasting 

 with his bright yellow and shining black dress. 

 The female is more modestly attired, partaking 

 of the general color of the nuxle, but much 

 paler and with a brownish tinge, and lacking 

 the white on the wings. Both have extreme]}'- 

 large bills of a greenish yellow. They are very 

 unwary birds, allowing a person to approach 

 within a few feet of them. 



Those taken in the woods are always briglit 

 and clean, while those of the city are very dark 

 colored. I have come to the conclusion that 

 they spend the cold nights on chimney-tops and 

 in that way get their plumage soiled with smoke 

 and coal dust. 



The males leave us about the middle of April, 

 and at the same time quantities of females put 

 in an appearance. I am unable to say whether 

 they arrive from the South, or if they are all 

 the females left behind by the males. The lat- 

 ter seems the most probable, but there are 

 manjf more females than there were in the win- 

 ter, so some must come from some other place. 

 They staj^ in the woods altogether, feeding on 

 the young buds of difterent trees and grow very 

 fat. 



They leave about the first week in May for 

 the North, where they lay their eggs and rear 

 their young undisturbed. I do not believe 

 they pass thiough this section in the Fall, as I 

 have never seen a single individual at that time. 



