No. 3.] 



SENNETT ON THE ORNITHOLOGY OF TEXAS. 



409 



82. Pyeocephalus eubineus jiexicanus (Scl.) Cones.— Vermilion 

 Flycatcher. 



This species frequents generally the depressions which were formerly 

 river-beds, in which more or less water stands after every shower, and 

 where insect-life abounds to excess, and where the retama-tree flour- 

 ishes. It is not very common, and I found no nests. The plumage of 

 both sexes varies considerably in intensity, and I think it may require 

 two or three years to come to perfection. I refer to Dr. Merrill's notes 

 in Proceedings of U. S. Nat. Mus. 1878, for description of nests and eggs. 



Lomita 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 



April 28 

 April 28 

 April 28 

 April 28 



6.25 

 6.25 

 6.12 

 6.12 



10.50 

 10. 25 

 10. 25 

 10.25 



3.25 

 3. 12 

 3.18 

 3.12 



2.37 

 2.62 

 2.38 

 2.25 



CAPEIMULGID^. 



83. IsTyCTiDROMUS AiviEEiCANUS (L.) Cass. — Pauraque Goatsuclcer. 



On the evening of April 16 three of us, carrying guns, took advantage 

 of the beautiful moonlight, which was so bright that we could read by 

 it, for a tram J) into the woods after anything in the way of game that 

 might present itself. We had hardly entered the road through the 

 woods, when, notwithstanding our loud talking, for we had no expecta- 

 tion of seeing anything so soon, we came upon a bird dusting itself in 

 the roadway. I had slipped into my shooting-coat a few half charges of 

 dust, and although it took some time to withdraw to a sufficient distance 

 to shoot, yet the bird took no notice of us or our conversation. After 

 shooting and picking up the bird, I discovered it to be different from 

 any I had seen 5 it proved to be Nyctidromns, the only one obtained on 

 the trip. During the moonlight nights in May I again ventured forth a 

 short distance from the house on the road in search of these night-birds, 

 and saw several birds fly from the telegraph poles, which I think were 

 of this species. They breed in the more open places among the cactus 

 and scattered bushes along with C. texensis — Texas Nighthawk. On 

 dark days I flushed them from thickets in the chaparral, or from copses 

 near the bottom-lands on the edges of the woods. They are very quick 

 in their movements, and difflcult to shoot on the wing. 



On April 20 I obtained the first set of two eggs. Several others were 

 taken, and all from the bare ground, where they were laid. From the 

 eggs of both trips I obtain the average size 1.22 by .91, the length vary- 

 ing from 1.17 to 1.28, and the Avidth from .90 to .93. Their size and 

 creamy-buff color render them easy of identification. The size of 

 my specimen, an adult male, is, length 13.25 -, extent .25 ; wing 7.40 ; 

 tail 7.G0 ; tarsus 1.05 ; middle toe .81 ; middle toe and claw 1.15. It 

 will be seen that the measurements of wing and tail are much larger 

 than Mr. Eidgway gives in Dr. Merrill's notes (Proc. U. S. l^at. Mus. 



