Mr. H. E. Dresser on the Birds of Southern Texas. 479 



Setophaga ruticilla (Linnseus). American Redstart. 

 Very common near San Antonio in the spring and autumn. 

 On the Medina I noticed the first on the 27th April. 



Pyranga rubra (Linnaeus). Northern Scarlet Tanager. 



[I shot one in the early spring on the Medina some years 

 ago. It breeds at El Paso, on the upper Rio Grande. — A.L.H.] 



On the 23rd April I followed one for some distance, near the 

 San Pedro, but did not succeed in shooting it. 



Pyranga ESTIVA (Gmelin). Summer Redbird, 

 Common during the summer season near San Antonio, arri- 

 ving there about the middle of April. 



HiRUNDO HORREORUM, Barton. Barn-Swallow. 



Common during the summer both at Matamoras and San 

 Antonio. They arrive at Eagle Pass early in March, as I noticed 

 the first on the 9th of that month. 



HiRUNDO LUNiFRONS, Say. ClifiF-Swallow. 



Common at San Antonio and Matamoras during the summer. 

 At Eagle Pass I noticed a couple on the 7th March, and on the 

 10th they were very numerous. In July, on the way from 

 Nuevo Laredo to Matamoras, when seeking after water, I saw a 

 long cliff overhanging a ravine, which was literally covered with 

 tlie nests of these birds. 



CoTYLE RiPARiA (Linuseus) . Sand-Martin, or Bank-Swallow. 

 Common throughout the whole country. I noticed the first 

 at Eagle Pass on the 20th February. 



CoTYLE SERRiPENNis (Audubon). Rough-winged Swallow. 



At Eagle Pass, the first of these birds I noticed arriving from 

 the south I saw on the 21st February. Both there and near San 

 Antonio they are very common during the summer, breeding in 

 the towns, making their nests under the eaves and in holes in 

 the old walls, and laying pure white eggs, the first of which, that 

 I got, were taken at San Antonio on the 25th April. 



Male. Bill black ; legs brownish-black ; iris dark brown. 



Progne purpurea (Linnaeus) . Purple Martin. 

 Common in all the parts of Texas that I visited during the 

 summer. There, as in the north, these birds are universally 



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