JTo. 3.] SENNETT ON THE ORNITHOLOGY OF TEXAS. 415 



breeding, and fresli eggs were obtained np to the last of May. My first 

 clutch was taken April 17, and consisted of five young and three eggs. 

 I note a greater variation of shape in the eggs of 1878 than in those 

 of the year before, and a decided tendency to a point at one end, 

 although a few are nearly double-rounded. In size, over fifty eggs 

 before me give an average of 1.55 by 1.21, A^hich, taken with the avef-age 

 of those collected the i:)revious year (1.50 by 1.21), gives a genenil 

 average of 1.53 by 1.21. Their color is opaque white. 



90. CoccYGLTS AniERiCAj^us (L.) Bp. — Yelloic-Mlled Cuclcoo. 



A well-known bird, and breeding commonly at Loraita. Instead of 

 choosing damp and shaded places for its nest, as is common with this 

 species in the JSIorth, I found none in such places. Ehony-trees near the 

 ranch, mesquites among cactuses, thorny bushes in open chaparral, and 

 open woodland, were favored breeding places. The nest, usually a sim- 

 ple platform of twigs, I sometimes found quite elaborate, and at heights 

 varying from five to thirty feet. I nowhere found it playing the part of 

 a parasite ; on the contrary, I found it devoted to the care of its young. 



Although I was obliged to make special study of more local and rarer 

 species, enough was seen to enable me to confirm the reports of its irreg- 

 ular laying and hatching. The finding of many sets of more than four 

 eggs, however, must do away with the idea, which has been held, that 

 the first four eggs laid are hatched before any addition is made to their 

 number. I found no perfectly fresh eggs in the same nest with young. 

 In a set of eight, two eggs were on the point of hatching, and there 

 seemed to be a graded variation in the incubation of all, none being 

 quite fresh. In a set of seven, one only was hard sat upon. My 

 impression is that the eggs are laid at intervals of from one to three 

 days, and that when three or four eggs are laid the parent begins to 

 incubate, gradually adding to the number until the set of seven or eight 

 is complete, imitating in this respect her larger relative, the Ground 

 Cuckoo or Chaparral Cock. Twenty sets of eggs were secured. The 

 highest number of eggs found in any one nest was eight; the next seven ; 

 the remainder of the sets were made up of six and less. Of over fifty 

 eggs before me, the average reaches 1.20 by .90; the largest specimen 

 being 1.40 by .94, the smallest 1.10 by .83. 



246 



Lomita 



April 29 



12. 62 



17.50 



6. 00 6. 12 



PICIDJ3. 



91. Picus SCALAKIS Wagler.— Textts Woodpeclcer. 



This bird breeds somewhat in advance of the Tellow-fiiced Wood- 

 pecker, and is much less numerous on the Lower Kio Grande. I found 

 it to prefer for nesting hollow living trees to dead stubs. 



Although i obtained a large series of skins of this bii-d, I was unable 



