124 



ORlSriTHOLOGIST 



[YoL 12-I^o. 8 



quite trees; are common. First eggs taken 

 May 13tli, 1884 ; incubation commenced. 



Bullock's Oriole, (Icterus bullocki). One nest 

 found in 1884 and two in 1885. The first nest 

 forty feet on the extremity of a live oak limb. 

 All nests close to the rauche. On account of 

 position I did not secure these nests and conse- 

 quently have no record of eggs. 



Great-tail Grackle, (QiUscalus macrurus). 

 Breed at San Antonio, also at a point on the 

 San Antonio Eiver midway between Sosoya 

 and that city. The San ^Vntonio River joins 

 the Medina about three miles south of Sosoya 

 Crossing. 



Scissor-tail Flycatcher, {Milvulus forficatus). 

 Abundant. First eggs taken May 17th, 1884; 

 fresh. This nest was composed of straws, 

 grasses, pieces of twine, weed stems and root- 

 lets, lined with fine rootlets and horse manure. 

 They seem to prefer mesquite trees to all oth- 

 ers, and make a bulky untidy nest of any kind 

 of material handy, witli no attempt at conceal- 

 ment ; frequently long pieces of material hang- 

 ing from the nest. In 1885 1 noticed a pair of 

 these birds commencing a nest in a beech tree 

 close to the house. I placed a large handful of 

 Spanish moss, turkey feathers and cotton in 

 the crotch they had selected, and was surprised 

 to find the nest completed and one egg laid on 

 my return to the ranche after about two day's 

 absence. Fifty hours at the most was the time 

 I was away, including two nights. This nest 

 is now in my collection. 



Mexican Great-crested Flycatcher, {Mijiafrhas 

 mexicanus). Not common. One nest contain- 

 ing five eggs nearly hatched found by a com- 

 panion May 14th, 1884. Nest placed in a natu- 

 ral hollow of a live oak, fourteen feet from the 

 ground, composed of weed stems, lined with 

 cattle and rabbit hair. No nests taken in 1885. 



Black-chinned Hummingbird, {Trochibis ulcx- 

 (Didri). Birds abundant. One nest containing 

 two fresh eggs taken from lower limb of a large 

 pecan tree on river bottom, May 2()th, 1885. 



Chuck-will's-widow, {Aiitrostomns carol inen- 

 sis). Several of these heard at night about the 

 edge of the sandy black oak country. They 

 undoubtedly breed here, but no eggs taken. 



Poor-will, (Phalcennptilus nuttalli). Several 

 specimens of these birds taken and there is not 

 the slightest doubt but that they breed in the 

 vicinity of the ranche. 



Nighthawk, ( ChordeUes popetue) . These were 

 quite common, though I did not find any eggs. 



Texan Sapsucker, (Flcns scaiarift) . Not com- 

 mon ; found no nests in 1884. In 1885 I found 

 a nest containing young, on May 15th but did 



not disturb it. It was in a mesquite tree, the 

 hole being about fifteen feet from the ground 

 in the body of the tree, which was a live one. 



Golden-fronted Woodpecker, (Cent urns auri- 

 frons). Very common and many nests found; 

 generally in a decayed mesquite stump, and 

 often within a few feet of the ground. Also 

 found nests in telegraph poles and fence posts 

 on the San Antonio road. Eggs five and six, 

 often very pointed at one end. First set of 

 five fresh eggs taken April 21st, 1884, from a 

 hole eighteen inches deep in a mesquite stump. 

 On May (Jth, in the same stump I found a fresh 

 hole dug out, two feet above the old one, and 

 about six inches deep, containing five more 

 fresh eggs. It is very probable they were laid 

 by the same bird. 



Road-runner, (Geococcyx californianus) . Quite 

 common and many nests found. First eggs 

 were brought me by a Mexican, April 3rd, 



1884. Fresh. 



Yel lo w-bell ied Cuckoo, ( Coccyz m a merkaii us) . 

 Common. Nests generally found on lower hor- 

 izontal limbs of mesiiuite trees. Two nests, 

 one Black-throated Sparrow and one lilack- 

 throated Bunting were found, each of which 

 contained in addition to four of theh' own eggs 

 one other of this species. 



Barred Owl, (S'trix nehnlosa). Breed in the 

 river bottom in holes in the tall trees, but are 

 not very common. I did not climb to the nests. 



Texan Screech Owl, (Scops (tsio maccdUi). 

 One set of four fresh eggs taken from a hollow 

 black oak limb, April 25th, 1884. Thej^ are not 

 common. One of these birds was brought me 

 on Api-il 21st alive. It was placed on a keg, 

 and during the night laid one egg. As it did 

 not repeat the performance, I preserved the 

 specimen. 



Great-horned Owl, (Bnlm rirgi)tiaHits). Quite 

 common round Sosoya. A nest i;ontaining 

 three young was taken in 1884 from a nest 

 made of sticks, placed on a large fork of a live 

 oak tree close to the ranche. On Feb. 2(>th, 



1885, while passing the same tree, I noticed an 

 owl sitting on the same nest and found three 

 fresh eggs. 



Caracara Eagle, (Poli/borus cheriway). Quite 

 common and breed here; two nests taken in 

 1884. First set, April 14th, contained two 

 eggs, one addled and the other much advanced. 



Swallow-tailed Kite, (Ehuwidcs forficntiis). 

 P'requently seen, and specimens obtained dur- 

 ing the breeding season. They undoubtedly 

 breed at Lagoon at Grey Town, ten miles down 

 the river from Sosoya. Where there is abun- 

 dance of tall timber. 



