316 Mr. H. E. Dresser on the Birds of Southern Texas. 



for me ; and besides that, he had a thorough knowledge of the 

 adjacent counti*y. Of his reputation as an ornithologist and 

 ooJogist I need say nothing, as his name will be well known 

 to most naturalists. I had, before leaving England, heard of 

 his death, and therefore was both surprised and gratified to find 

 him alive and comparatively speaking in good health. 



I set to work hard at San Antonio, but found time to make 

 many excursions to the Medina and Attascosa Rivers, the Ban- 

 dera Hills, and the like, in which Dr. Heermann was, owing to 

 his infirmity, unable to join. In November I spent a week 

 deer-hunting in the Bandera range, in company with a couple 

 of old Texan hunters, and had first-rate sport. I intended re- 

 maining out ten or eleven days, but on the eighth day of our trip 

 I was recalled by business to San Antonio. Here I fii'st saw 

 Massena^s Quail {Cyrtonyx massena), and was even able to make 

 a meal of these rare birds (preserving the skins, hovv^ever, for 

 myself), besides obtaining many additions to my collection. 

 Of the Hawks, Falco polyagrus, Hypotriorchis columharius, Acci- 

 piter cooperi, Buteo borealis, B. elegans, B. pennsylv aniens, Poly- 

 borus tharus, and Craxirex unicinctus were pretty common. I 

 saw several Barred Owls {Syrnium nebulosum), and shot a couple 

 of Prairie-Owls [Athene hypogcea) and one Scops [Scops maccalWi). 

 Blue-birds [Sialia arctica and S. sialis) were very abundant; and I 

 saw not a few Buntings [Pipilo arcticus, Zonotrichia gambeli, Ca- 

 lamospiza bicolo?^) and other small birds. Wild Turkeys [Melea- 

 gris gallopavo) were especially abundant; but having so much 

 venison in camp that it was spoiling, we abstained from shooting 

 many, and were just on the point of starting on a Turkey-hunt, 

 in order to supply our friends in town, when the Mexican mes- 

 senger arrived to recall me. We had, however, eight hind quar- 

 ters of deer and a couple of Turkeys in stock, so did not return 

 quite empty-handed. 



In December I made a short trip to the Upper Bio Grande, 

 remaining a few days at Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, and 

 returning to spend Christmas in San Antonio. As before, I 

 drove my own horses, camping out on the road ; and as I tra- 

 velled slowly and carried little weight, I was able to skin and 

 carry with me a few birds. As on the lower road, I noticed 



