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



20th May I shot a female on the banks of the Colorado, from 

 which I extracted a fully formed but not quite perfect egg. It 

 was almost round, and, for the size of the bird, rather large; but 

 of the colour when perfect I could, of course, form no opinion. I 

 was son-y that I was unable to remain a few days there and pro- 

 cure the eggs; for I feel certain that I could have succeeded in 

 finding several nests had I only had time enough to spare. 



Eastward of the Colorado T saw this bird pretty often, but, 

 owing to the great difficulty in sending anything towards the 

 Mexican frontier, I did not shoot any more. Indeed, I am glad 

 I did not do so, as I could never have brought the skins away 

 with me. 



The young bird I have differs considerably from the adult. 

 It is dull brownish-black above, spotted vrith pure white, the 

 tips of the wing- feathers being edged with white, the throat and 

 space round the eye yellowish-white ; the entire under parts 

 dull whitish, with longitudinal stripes of reddish-brown; and 

 the tail blackish-brown, almost imperceptibly edged with dull 

 white. 



Circus hudsonius (Linnaeus). American Harrier. 



Abundant throughout the whole country eastward of the Rio 

 Nueces, at all seasons of the year. I noticed far more in full 

 blue plumage there than I did in New Brunswick, where it is also 

 common. In the neighbourhood of San Antonio I used to meet 

 with them on the prairies, where they feed on the small green 

 lizards which abound there, and which they catch with great 

 dexterity. 



Haliaetus leucocephalus (Linnseus). Bald Eagle. 



Not uncommon in some parts of the country, more particu- 

 larly near the head-waters of some of the rivers. Westfall the 

 hunter (the well-known guide through the Indian country), who 

 met me at Uvalde in March, told me that on his way down 

 from his camp on the Leona, a distance of about forty miles, he 

 had noticed no less than eight nests. He told me, however, 

 that it was no use climbing up to them for the sake of the eggs, 

 as they would be hatched out by that time. It breeds also on 

 the Attascosa. 



