A Catalogue of Birds obtained in Navarro County, Texas. 181 



March was partly intermediate between the two forms, having 

 the primaries edged with white, as in atricapillus, but the tail 

 feathers and secondaries as in typical carolinensis. 



Paeus caeolinensis, And. Carolina Titmouse. — This little 

 bird, though resident, is much more common, during the cold 

 months, when it is found everywhere in the wooded lands and 

 creeks, while in the breeding season I only observed it along the 

 banks of the river. At the periods of migration examples may not 

 unfrequently be found upon the fences of the prairie farms at some 

 distance from any trees, but they never remain long in such places. 

 Like P. ater, which they greatly resemble in habits, they pass the 

 winter by roving about from place to place in small bands, in 

 company with tree-creepers, kinglets, nuthatches and warblers 

 of different kinds, cheering the now leafless woods with their in- 

 cessant call-notes and sprightly movements. Their food seems to 

 be entirely insectiverous, small caterpillars, and grubs being much 

 sought for. 



SiTTA CAEOLINENSIS, Gmel. White-helUed Nuthatch. — Nut- 

 hatches seem to be very scarce in this part of the State, since, 

 though continually on the look-out for them, I only observed the 

 typical form on one occasion — upon December 6th — when I 

 came across two small flocks, or more probably the same jflock 

 twice, in the high open post oak woods bordering on the prairie ; 

 in both cases they were accompanied by titmice, goldcrests, and 

 creepers. They were very tame, taking no heed of a near approach, 

 nor showing the slightest fear of the report of a gun, though dis- 

 charged just beside them, but running with equal facility up and 

 down the trees, they continued without cessation their search for the 

 insects and grubs which formed their food, and with which the 

 stomachs of those which were shot for examination were crammed. 



Vae. aculeata (Cass.) Slender-hilled Nuthatch. — Of this 

 form, easily recognizable by its attenuated bill and obscurely 

 blotched secondaries, I also obtained but one example, but 

 whereas the eastern form occurred in midwinter, this, the 

 western variety, was obtained on June 4th, and among mesquites. 

 It proved to be an adult female, but showed no signs of having 

 bred that season, nor were the eggs developed in the ovaries, for 

 which reasons, and that during two summers I never saw another^ 

 I consider it to have been a mere straggler. 



