SENNETT ON BIEDS OF THE RIO GRANDE OF TEXAS. 63 



Anas obscura, Gm. — Dusky Duck. 



On May 19th, I shot two females of this species near Point Isabel, on 

 the borders of a bayou. Each bird was shot flying alone, and 1 regret 

 that I did not pay more attention to their dissection, and could not save 

 their skins, for I suspect they were breeding in the vicinity. It was on 

 the eve of my departure, and I had other birds occupying my attention. 



Dapila acuta, {L.) Jenyns. — Pintail Duck. 



Only noticed along the coast on our way down, and about the marshes 

 in the vicinity of Brownsville up to April 1st. 



Chaulelasmus streperus, (L.) Gray. — Gadivall. 



Very abundant about Galveston and Corpus Ohristi Bays in March. 

 Not noticed on the Eio Grande. 



Mareca AMERICANA, (Gm.) Steph. — Baldpate. 



Only noticed in the lagoons and bays near the coast, as I was going 

 down. 



Spatula clypeata, {L.) Bote. — Shoveller. 



Common along the river and lagoons in the interior. On April 26th, at 

 Hidalgo, I saw three males and one female resting on a sand-bar, and I 

 obtained all but one male at a single discharge. 



FuLiGULA AFFiNis, Eytofi. — Lesser Blackhead. 



The most common duck seen on our way down. Corpus Christi Bay 

 was filled with them, and they" were so fat they could hardly fly. 



PELECANIDJE. 



Pblecanus trachyrhynchus, Lath. — White Pelican. 



These conspicuous birds were seen on and near the coast constantly 

 on my way down, and when I left the mouth of the Eio Grande, on 

 May 20th, they were still there, but in much more limited numbers. Up 

 the river as far as Hidalgo, on May 2d, I saw a flock of twenty five sail 

 over the town and river. On the evening of May 11th, I shot one from 

 the steamer as I was going toward Brownsville. Near the salt-marshes 

 and the heronry, between Brownsville and the coast, on May 16, they 

 were standing on the shores of the lakes, and at Point Isabel, on May 

 19, 1 saw a few. With my glass, I could plainly see that they had 

 crests on the culmen, and, as both sexes have the crests, I should not 

 be suprised to hear of their breeding on our extreme Southern border. 

 In fact, I think it altogether probable. Why not ^ They breed with 

 Forster's Terns, Sterna forsteri, in the Northwest and British America, 

 and, as I have found the latter breeding on the Eio Grande, I would 

 expect also to find the White Pelican. 



