SENNETT ON BIRDS OF THE EIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 17 



I found these only about Galveston. They were in large flocks, and 

 associated with them were UremopMla chrysolcema, Southwestern Sky- 

 lark, and Neocorys spragtiii, Missouri Skylark. They frequented the 

 sandy ridges adjoining the salt-marshes. In habits they reminded 

 me of P. lapponicus, Lapland Longspur, as I saw them in Minnesota 

 last year. When flushed, they dart from side to side, taking a swift, 

 irregular course, never very high, and suddenly drop down among the 

 grass-tussocks, with their heads toward you. They are so quiet and so 

 much the color of their surroundings that they are seen with difficulty. 

 They fly in such scattered flocks that a single discharge of the gun can 

 seldom bring down more than one or two. That they extend farther 

 south than the vicinity of Galveston I very much doubt, for we would, 

 in all probability, have noticed them if they had been farther down the 

 coast. 



1— ^ —6.37 X 1 1 .25 X 3. 50 X 2.25. Feb. 28, Galveston . 



2— 9 —5.75 X 10.75 x 3.13 x 1.87. Feb. 28, Galveston. 



3— i —6.37 X 11.62 X 3.50 x 2.20. Feb. 28, Galveston. 



Passeeculus savanna, ( Wils.) Bp. — Savanna Sparrow. 



The several specimens secured were found on or near the ground, and 

 mostly in old resaca beds, where tall grass abounds. I found none at all 

 at Hidalgo, probably owing to the higher ground, distance from the 

 coast, and few openings. 



29— $ —5.50 X 9.25 x 2.75 x 2.00. Mar. 9, Brownsville. 



66— 5 —5.25 X 8.25 x 2.62 x 2.00. Mar. 24, Brownsville. 



72— ^ —5.60 X 9.25 x 2.75 x 2.00. Mar. 25, Brownsville. 



109— ^ — 5..50 X 8.75 x 2.75 x 2.10. Mar. 29, Brownsville. 



17 J — (? —5.50 X 9.25 x 2.75 x 2.10. Apr. 7, Brownsville. 



187— ^ —5.75 X 9.00 X 2.75 x 2.10. Apr. 9, Brownsville. 



PotECETES GEAMINEUS CONFINIS, (Gm.) Bd. — Western Grass Finch. 



Both of the specimens secured were shot in low bushes ; one by the 

 side of the road, and the other in the openings of the chaparral, among 

 the cactus. From the nature of the country, all of the ground birds are 

 extremely difiicult to study or even shoot. The great abundance of im- 

 penetrable thickets give them convenient and safe cover at all times. I 

 will say here that during the whole trip not a single nest of the numerous 

 small birds was found on the ground or in a low bush. It is worse by 

 far than collecting on the Western prairies, for here one cannot even ride 

 over or step near the uests to expose the eggs by flushing the bird. 



185— <y— 6.60 X 10.90 x 3.35 x 2.75. Apr. 9, Brownsville. 

 301— 2 —6.25 X 10.50 x 3.10 x 2.50. Apr. 29, Hidalgo. 



Aboiodkomus MAEiTiMUS, ( WUs.) Sw.— Seaside Finch. 



We did very little shore collecting, owing to frequent changes of 

 locality and inconveniences for preserving. Galveston was the only 

 point where I shot this species; none, however, were prepared. 1 have 

 no doubt that this bird, as well as A. caudacutus, Sharp tailed Finch, 

 resides the year round on the whole of the Texas coast. 

 Bull. iv. No. 1—2 



