A Catalogue of Birds obtained in Navarro County, Texas. 201 



March, and during the three succeeding months is one of the most 

 conspicuous birds upon the prairie, frequenting the grassy slopes 

 studded here and there with low bushes. The males have a short 

 but not unmusical trill, which, however, resembles the chirping 

 of an insect more than the ordinary notes of a bird, and is inces- 

 santly uttered from the top of a stunted shrub or tall weed gene- 

 rally, but also while in flight from one perch to another, when 

 they take a semicircular course near the ground, gliding along 

 with quick tremulous beats of the wings. The nest is placed 

 upon the ground, usually on the side of a steep slope, beneath an 

 overhanging tuft of herbage, and often so much tilted up that the 

 eggs, which are five in number, are lying upon the side of the 

 nest, the other side forming a half canopy over them. They are 

 formed of dry grasses, which are often curiously interlaced with 

 the surrounding herbage, and the sitting bird slips away so 

 quietly that it is almost impossible to obtain it. About the end 

 of June both young and old disappear, and, with the exception of 

 a few straggling pairs, the great body move further north, where 

 they, doubtless, bring forth another brood, nor do they reappear 

 in this district in any numbers till the end of September, when 

 they pass quickly by on the way to their winter quarters. They 

 feed principally upon grasshoppers and coleopterous insects, but 

 do not entirely refuse seeds. 



CoTURNicuLUS HENSLOWi (Aud.) Henslow's Sparrow. — This 

 species appears to be an autumn visitor in small numbers, arriving 

 about the middle of October, and passing further south during 

 the next three weeks. They are generally found among long 

 grass, about the borders of the wooded creeks on the prairie, and 

 when disturbed, take refuge among the branches of the neigh- 

 bouring trees, in this showing a marked difference to the next 

 species. They feed upon small seeds and insects. 



COTURNICULUS LECONTEi (Aud.) Leconte's Sparrow.— This 

 curious and interesting little finch, is an abundant winter visitor 

 to the prairie, where it arrives about the second week of Novem- 

 ber, and soon becomes common in suitable localities, such as old 

 hay fields and beds of long coarse matted grass. In such places 

 they creep about among the stems of the herbage, never from 

 choice rising above its top, nor unless almost trodden on do they 

 ever take wing, and even when forced to do so, flying only a few 



SciEN. Proc. R.D.S., Vol. iii„ Pt. v. S 



