6 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY. 



SAXICOLID^. 



SiALiA siALis, (L.) Haldeman. — Bluebird. 



On May 3, in the vicinity of Hidalgo, I shot the only pair of these 

 birds seen on the Eio Grande. I first shot the male, and, while picking 

 it up, its mate, with dry grasses in its mouth, flew into an old Wood- 

 pecker's hole, in a dead stub near by, and was soon secured. 



348— ^ —7.25 X 12.50 x 3.85 x 2.62. May 3, Hidalgo. 

 SYLVIID^. 



POLIOPTILA CCERULEA, (L.) Selcit — Bliw-gray Gnatcatcher. 



I have no knowledge of seeing this bird more than once or twice, and 

 no specimens were obtained. A handsome nest and clutch of eggs were 

 taken by Dr. Merrill in April in the vicinity of Brownsville. 



PARID^. 



LopHOPHANES ATROCRISTATUS, Cass. — Black-crested Titmouse. 



These lively and sweet singers were everywhere abundant, especially 

 in old lagoou-beds, now largely grown up with the mesquite and lignum 

 vitse. Although so common, we were unable to find their eggs. The 

 only nest discovered contained young, and was situated in the split fork 

 of a tree, some ten or twelve feet from the ground. The exact number 

 of young could not be determined, but there were certainly five or six. 

 On May 3d, I came upon a whole family, the young of which had nearly 

 obtained their growth. I shot one adult and five young, and at least 

 three young escaped. One day, while riding along the river road, a 

 song new to me and beautifully sweet and clear greeted my ear. Dis- 

 mounting, I followed the sound into the forest. The clearness of the 

 whistling song, the locality, and the careful concealment of the bird led 

 me to feel sure of a species new to me. At the very first sight I fired. 

 That song cost a fine male Black-crested Tit his life. Had I suspected 

 him to have been the singer, I would gladly have spared the bird, as my 

 bag was already filled. 



63— <? —5.75 X 9.00 x 2.87 x 2.63. Mar. 24, Brownsville. 



209— $ —5.75 X 9.00 x 2.75 x 2.50. Apr. 17, Hidalgo. 



210— $ —5.75 x 9.00 x 2.81 x 2.50. Apr. 17, Hidalgo. 

 213— $ —5.63 X 8.75 x 2.75 x 2.50. Apr. 17, Hidalgo. 

 236— 9 —5.50 X 8.50 x 2.75 x 2.38. Apr. 19, Hidalgo. 

 238— <^ —5.50x9.00x2.87x2.62. Apr. 19, Hidalgo. 



349— 5 juv.— 5.50 x 8.50 x 2.37 x 2.12. May 3, Hidalgo. 



350— $ juv.— 5.37 X 8.38 x 2.62 x 2.06. May 3, Hidalgo. 



351— 5 jav.— 5.38 x 8.62 x 2.50 x 2.05. May 3, Hidalgo. 



Atjrtparus flaviceps, {Sund.) Bd. — Yellow-headed Titmouse. 



My first knowledge of the existence of this bird in the vicinity was 

 the finding of a new nest on April 28th ; but it contained no eggs, and 



