30 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



tris, from its nest, and, when I shot it, a Green Jay flew from its nest 

 in the very direction of my bird. Here indeed was a double find of no 

 ordinary occurrence. I secured both nests, and both birds of each nest 

 in good shape, and in a very short time. The nest of the Jay was some 

 nine feet from the ground on the outer branches of a small tree, and 

 composed wholly of sticks and fine twigs. The sticks were so full of 

 thorns that when they were crossed about among the lining branches more 

 firmness was given to the nest than usual, and by cutting off the branches 

 I could readily take it entire. The outside diameter is nine inches one 

 way by eight the other ; its depth four inches ; inside, three and a half 

 inches wide by two inches deep. The four eggs which it held contained 

 chicks, and I saved only three. On May 1st, a set of four was secured, 

 one of which contained large chicks. On May 2d, we found another nest 

 with four eggs, hard incubated. Both birds were shot. This nest was 

 some ten feet from the ground in the outer branches of a small tree, on 

 the edge of a large tract of timber. It was composed of stems and twigs 

 like the others, rather bulky, and by cutting off the branches could be 

 saved. On May 6th, two fresh eggs were brought me by a Mexican. On 

 May 8th, I discovered another nest not far from where I found the one on 

 April 30th. The nest, only eight feet from the ground, was built close to 

 the body of a small tree among some small branches, and was composed 

 of twigs as usual, but it was not as large as the others. It contained 

 two chicks just out, and one whole egg about ready to hatch. I took 

 the egg, but could hardly retain its shape. The shape of the egg is very 

 similar to Cyanurus cristatus, Blue Jay, with the same variations from 

 double-pointed to double-rounded. The groundcolor is usually light 

 drab, tinged faintly with green, but I have one egg out of a set of four 

 with the color dull yellowish-white. The markings are brown, some- 

 times distinctly spotted or speckled or streaked, and sometimes quite 

 indistinct and clouded. The larger end has generally the heaviest mark- 

 ings. From nineteen eggs I have the following sizes: — The longest 

 measures 1.20 by 0.82. The shortest is 1.02 by 0.80. The broadest is 1.16 

 by 0.87 and the narrowest is 1.07 by 0.73. The average is 1.10 by 0.79. 

 139—^—12.05x15.25x4.85x5.50. Apr. 2, Brownsville. 



203— 5 —11,50 X 14.75 x 4.65 x 5.25. Apr. 10, Brownsville. 



204— $ - 11..50 X 14.50 x 4.50 x 5.50. Apr. 1 0, Brownsville. 

 285— ? —11.25 X 14.25 x 4.50 x 4.85. Apr. 27, Hidalgo. 

 293—^—11.75 X 15.50 x 4.85 x 5.25. Apr. 28, Hidalgo. 



321— 9 —11.50 X 14.75 x 4.50 x 5.00. Apr. 30, Hidalgo. 



322— i —12.00 X 15.25 x 5.00 x 5.50. Apr. 30, Hidalgo. 

 332— ,?— 11.75x15.50x4.65x5.50. May 2, Hidalgo. 

 333—9—11.50x15.50x4.50x5.50. May 2, Hidalgo. 

 356— 9 —11.85 X 15.00 X 4.75 X 5.65. May 3, Hidalgo. 



TYKANNID^. 



MiLVULUS FOEFICATUS, {Gm.) Sw. — Swallow-tailed Flycatcher. 



These beautiful birds had just arrived on the Rio Grande from Mexico 

 when w'e reached Brownsville. The sparsely wooded openings in the 



