Mr. H. E. Dresser on the Birds of Sunt hem Texas. 321 



longirostris), Blue, Great, and Snowy Herons, Spoonbills, Avo- 

 cets, Stilts, Tnrnstones, and Killdeer Plover. Of the land-birds 

 tbe island is very bare ; but I found Icterus spurius, Tyrannus 

 carolinensis, and Quiscalus major breeding there : the eggs, how- 

 ever, were all either incubated or hatched out. I found and shot 

 some species of Marsh-Wren, but, not having brought any 

 natural history-work from San Antonio with me, could not make 

 sure as to which it was. 



I went back to San Antonio about the middle of June, and 

 remained there until the latter end of July, when I left to return 

 to England. 



Brownsville, owing to the war, being inaccessible, I had to go 

 to Matamoras by way of Laredo, at which place I remained a 

 couple of days, and was lucky enough to find some nests near the 

 town — among them those of Poospiza bilineata, Peuccea cassini, 

 and Campy lor hynchus brunneicapillus, and near Roma one nest of 

 Haiporhynchus curvirostris, all containing eggs. Of the Black- 

 throated Sparrow and Brown-headed Wren I found many nests on 

 the journey, all, however, either containing young or else empty, 

 the young having flown. The last-named bird has a peculiar 

 predilection for placing its nest in the most exposed situations 

 possible ; and if a dead bush is to be found, one can generally 

 see a nest stuck on the top of it : between two cactus-leaves is 

 also a favourite place. The Black-throated Sparrow generally 

 places its nest in the low bush, or in a bush by the roadside. 



Matamoras I found much changed, it having grown into a 

 large town ; and as for collecting, " pot-hunters " had become so 

 numerous that my favourite places^ the lagoon and the groves up 

 the river, were quite deserted; indeed I noticed nothing but a 

 few Coots on the former. I found all the bird-skins I had sent 

 from San Antonio, at different times, all safe ; but a large box, 

 containing all the larger eggs I had collected in Texas, and which 

 I had despatched shortly before leaving San Antonio, was not 

 forthcoming. This I have since heard of; but it has not yet been 

 received, though I hope it may arrive. I therefore packed 

 up, and having shipped the skins (about four hundred in 

 number) to England, returned home by way of New Orleans 

 and New York. 



N. S. — VOL. I. Z 



