ART. I.-NOTES ON THE ORNITHOLOGY OF THE LOWER RIO 

 GRANDE OF TEXAS, FROM OBSERVATIONS MADE DURING 



THE SEASON OF 1877. 



By George B. Sennett, 



Of Erie, Pa. 

 Edited,* with annotations, by Dr. Elliott Coues, U. S. A. 



LETTER OP TRANSMITTAL. 



Erie, Pa., December 1, 1877. 



Sir : In transmitting these notes on the ornithology of the Lower Rio 

 Grande, allow me to preface them with a few remarks. 



Last winter, having inclination and leisure to prosecute the study of 

 birds in a more extended field than was open to me at home, I began to 

 look about for a suitable locality. As is always the case when real 

 desire for study arises, avenues of investigation opened in all directions; 

 but the weight of influence drew me to the Rio Grande. Arranging 

 with Mr. F. S. Webster, of Troy, IS". Y., to go as my assistant, and secur- 

 ing a complete outfit, I set out for Texas on February 23d of the present 

 year. My plan was to work down the lower coast of Texas, and arrive 

 at Brownsville, as a base of future operations, before the breeding sea- 

 son had fairly commenced. On the evening of the 20th of March, after 

 many vexatious delays, we arrived at Brownsville, our objective point. 

 The country worked over lay between Point Isabel, on the coast, near 

 the mouth of the Rio Grande, and a point a few miles above Hidalgo, 

 embracing a distance of a hundred miles by road or three hundred miles 

 by river. We were exactly two months on the southern border. Much 

 valuable time was lost in going up and down the river, in procuring 

 means of conveyance, and in acquainting ourselves with the country. 

 The annoyances also were not a few. On some days the weather was 

 so intensely hot that birds were apt to spoil before we could prepare 

 them. While we were constantly on the alert for huge rattlesnakes, 

 tarantulas, and centipedes, yet more troublesome enemies were with us 

 continually in the shape of wood-ticks and red-bugs, to say nothing of 



*[Tlie editor's notes are bracketed and followed by hia initials. Having inspected 

 most of the collection, which was courteously submitted to his examination by Mr. 

 Sennett, he is responsible for the identifications of nearly all the species, as well as for 

 his technical commentary. — E. C] 



Bull. iv. No. 1—1 1 



