Mr. H. E. Dresser on the Birds of Southern Texas. 325 



on careful examination I do not think they are anything but the 

 common Redtail. 



BuTEO LiNEATUs (Gmelin). Red-shouldered Buzzard. 



This bird I noticed all through the country^ from the Nueces 

 eastward. It breeds in the heavily-wooded river-bottoms of the 

 Medina, Guadaloupe, Attascosa, &c. ; but I did not succeed in 

 procuring the eggs. 



BuTEO ELEGANS, Cassin. Red-bellied Buzzard. 

 Not uncommon near San Antonio during the winter season ; 

 but I am very doubtful as to whether it remains there to breed. 



BuTEO PENNSYLVANicus (Wilsou). Broad-wiugcd Buzzard. 



Not uncommon from the Nueces River to the eastward. In 

 September I noticed several near the Mission of San Patricio, 

 and during the winter shot several specimens near San Antonio, 

 In May I shot a young bird on the Medina, and early in June 

 found a nest, containing young, near the Colorado river. It was 

 placed on a high cotton-wood tree, and in an almost inaccessible 

 position. 



Archibuteo ferrugineus (Lichtenstein). Squirrel-Hawk. 

 A fine specimen was sent to me by Col. McCormick, labelled 

 as having been collected at Fort Stockton by P. Duffy. 



Nauclerus furcatus (Linnseus). Swallow-tailed Kite. 



I was fortunate enough to find this graceful bird very abun- 

 dant in some parts of Texas, and had a good opportunity of 

 observing and admiring it in what I think I may call its true 

 home. About San Antonio de Bexar it is only occasionally 

 found, and is generally to be seen late in July, before heavy 

 rains; but nearer to the Rio Grande, and in that portion of 

 Mexico through which I travelled, I did not notice it, nor could 

 I hear of any fork-tailed Hawk. Towards Northern Texas, 

 however, I began to see it ; and at Peach Creek and near Gon- 

 zales I found it by no means uncommon. On the Colorado, 

 Brazos, and Trinity Rivers it is one of the commonest birds; 

 and every child knows it xmder the names of Scissor-tailed, 

 Forky-tailed, and Fish-tailed Hawk, or Fish-Hawk. It only 



