A Catalogue, of Birds obtained in Navarro County, Texas. 187 



it was sitting on a bough overhanging and almost touching the 

 mud along the margin, and the bushes being very dense and itself 

 so tame, I was obliged to fire at it so close that it was very much 

 torn by the shot. The head, however was entire, and, on picking- 

 it up the curiously-shaped sharply -ridged bill at once attracted 

 my attention. Its movements in hopping from one twig to 

 another were sluggish, and it uttered no sound of any description? 

 and its stomach contained only a very few small insects. 



Helminthophaga ruficapilla (Wils.) Nashville Warhler. — 

 During the month of October I found this pretty little species 

 not unfrequent in the creeks and open woods along the edge of 

 the prairie. They were more unsociable and solitary than any 

 of their family, being usually found singly or in pairs, and though 

 occasionally half-a-dozen might be seen together, I never observed 

 them associating with the bands of migratory birds at that time 

 passing, but rather keeping exclusively to themselves. They feed 

 upon insects and small caterpillars, which they seek among the 

 middle and lower branches of the trees, and even upon low 

 stunted shrubs. 



Parula AMERICANA (Linn.) Blue Yellow-bac'ked Warbler. — 

 I met with these beautiful little birds only during the month of 

 August, 1.880, when they were not uncommon in the thick woods, 

 and occasionally even in the creeks on the prairie, always going 

 in small parties, and usually accompanied by Polioptila. In their 

 manner of feeding they resemble the titmice, hanging in every 

 conceivable a.ttitude to the lower branches of the trees, especially 

 near the end, and searching every leaf and twig for the insects, 

 larvse, and eggs upon which they feed. Their confidence, beauty, 

 and the gracefulness of their movements, make them one o£ the 

 most attractive of birds. 



Dendrceca estiva (Gmel.) Summer Yelloio Bird. — This 

 conspicuous bird is an irregular migrant through our district, 

 sometimes appearing in considerable numbers, and again either 

 very scarce or not at all. I first made its acquaintance upon 

 August 12, 1879, and from that time until the middle of the next 

 month I found it common in the mesquite flats, outlying copses, 

 and solitary trees on the prairie, but never saw one in the wood- 

 lands, or even in the creeks. I observed them again on their 

 return in May, but not in so great numbers, and at this season 



SciHN. Pboc. R.D.S., Vol, hi., Ft. v. R 2 



