2 38 Hassrovuck, Birds of Eastland County, Texas. [July 
17. Bubo virginianus subarcticus. WrsTERN HoRNED OwL.—Com- 
mon; their hootings may be heard regularly every night, and in some 
localities as many as a dozen or more are found together. Their notes 
are distinguishable at once from those of Budo virgintanus proper, and 
vary greatly in intensity of tone with individuals. 
18. Geococcyx californianus. ROAD-RUNNER.—This bird, while tolera- 
bly abundant in adjacent Counties and even common in some, is quite 
rare here, owing to the unfitness of the country for them. Not overa 
dozen were seen, and but three secured. 
19. Coccygus americanus. YELLOw‘BILLED Cuckoo. — Fairly abun- 
dant, the ‘natives’ calling it ‘Rain Crow,’ and asserting that it is an in 
fallible foreteller of approaching storms. 
20. Ceryle alcyon. KINGFISHER.—A few individuals seen, but as rare 
as the water upon which they depend for their food supply. 
21. Dryobates villosus. Hairy WoopPrEcKER. — Common, and 
usually found in company with any of the following Woodpeckers. 
22. Dryobates pubescens. Downy WooppPeckeEr. — Tolerably com- 
mon; generally found in company with scadaris. 
23. Dryobates scalaris. TExAN WoopPEecKER.—This handsome little 
Woodpecker is abundantly distributed throughout the whole of central 
Texas; I have found it common in over a’ dozen Counties. 
24. Ceophleus pileatus. PILEATED WOODPECKER. — This species is 
fairly abundant throughout the various Counties of central and western 
Texas that I have visited; they seldom visit the dry upland, regions 
although they at times do so, preferring the more densely wooded bottom 
lands of the Leon and Satana Rivers. 
25. Melanerpes erythrocephalus. RED-HEADED 'WOODPECKER. — 
Abundant throughout this and adjacent Counties. 
26. Melanerpes carolinus. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER.— More com- 
mon if anything than the preceding. Specimens from this particular 
locality appear smaller and less richly colored than those from the 
eastern United States. 
27. Melanerpes aurifrons. GOLDEN-FRONTED WoODPECKER.—A bird 
of strictly local occurrence. In the single locality in Eastland County 
where they are found, they may be said to be fairly common, but outside 
of an area of twenty-five square miles they are unknown in the County. 
This particular region begins at a place known as Merrill’s on the Cisco 
and Brownwood road ten miles south of Cisco, and runs ina northeasterly 
direction to the Carbon and Rising Star road, a distance of about six 
miles, then follows this with comparative closeness for about five miles, 
then back to Merrill’s, forming an irregularly triangular tract of country. 
The statement that they are not found outside of this district may at first 
appear strange, but when I state that I have surveyed-entirely around it, 
and through it in several directions, it is evident that I have substantial 
reasons for the assertion. This section of country certainly presents pecu- 
liar characteristics; the timber is entirely of post-oak, and the ground more 
or less thickly covered with ‘shinnery,’ and differs from the surrounding 
