400 



BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



[YolY. 



6G. QuiSCALUS jMACEURUS Sw. — Great-tailed GracMe. 



During the last few days in March I observed and shot this species 

 at Corpus Christi and about the head of Padre Island. At Lomita it 

 was as abundant as at Brownsville, and more so than at Point Isabel, 

 on the coast. Many line skins and a large series of eggs were obtained. 



.57 

 121 

 211 

 379 

 380 

 439 

 440 

 441 

 442 

 444 



Lomita . 

 ...do .. 

 ...do .. 

 ...do .. 

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April 9 

 April 15 

 April 26 

 May 9 

 May 9 

 May 15 

 May 15 

 May 15 

 May 15 

 May 15 



Wing 7. 40. 

 Wiug 5. 70. 

 Winsj 5. 80. 



Tail 9. CO 

 Tail 6. 00 

 Tail 6. 45 

 7.62 

 7.50 

 7.50 

 7.50 

 7.12 

 7.37 

 5.85 



8.50 

 8. 25 

 8.60 

 9.00 

 8.00 

 8.75 

 6.10 



COEVIDiE. 

 67. Xanthuea luxuosa (Less.) Bp. — Bio Grande Jay. 



The habits of Jays are everywhere much the same, and the Eio 

 Grande Jay, the only form found on the trip, does not differ from species 

 found elsewhere, except in its nesting habits. Of all the birds on the 

 Lower Eio Grande, this is the most mischievous, robbing and despoiling 

 other birds' nests without mercy. It is more abundant about Lomita, 

 owing to the country being less settled, and having more timber than 

 about Hidalgo, a few miles below. Its nest is not easily found, how- 

 ever, for it is always concealed in thickets, or in the heavy undergrowth 

 of dense woods. 



I was successful in taking a large series of eggs. Of those obtained 

 early in April, few were freshly laid, while all those obtained in May 

 were fresh, this indicating that a second brood is reared, though I saw 

 no young of the first brood, while numbers of adults were seen daily 

 from April 9 until the last of May. On April 19, the first eggs were 

 taken, two sets being found : one of four with large embryos ; the other 

 of five, nearly fresh. The latest set, consisting of four fresh eggs, was 

 found on May 17. The' usual number of eggs to a clutch is four, occa- 

 sionally five. The eggs found this season are a little smaller than those 

 of last year, averaging 1.06 by .81 ; taken with last season's measure- 

 ments the average will stand 1.08 by .80. Mixed with the brown mark- 

 ings, a large proportion show shades of lilac quite distinctly ', nearly all 

 have the bulk of the markings massed at the larger end. 



Lomita . 

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 ...-do .. 

 ....do .. 



