430 



BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. [Tol.Y. 



their markings distingnisbing them at once from those of the Texas 

 Quail. The white ground-color is speckled light ochraceous. Some- 

 times the specks are large and plain, giving the egg a decided yellowish- 

 brown cast ; at others, the specks are fine, but at no time is the egg 

 entirely free from them . The markings tend more to the larger end than 

 to the smaller. A stain of yellow ochre also appears, in splashes, more or 

 less on each egg. In shape they are more elliptical than the Common 

 Quail's, 0. virginianus. The length varies from 1.27 to l.li5 ; thebreadth^ 

 from .98 to .93 ; giving general average of eggs 1.21 by .96. 



Lomita 

 '...do 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 

 ..-.do . 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 

 ...,do . 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 



CHAEADEIID^. 



119. Chakadrius fulvus virginicus (Borck.) Coues. — Golden Plover. 

 A number seen at Corpus Christi during the storm on March 20. 



120. JEgialitis vocipera (L.) Cass. — Kildeer Plover. 



Common on the Lower Eio Grande. Obtained two full sets of eggs 

 and a set of young at Lomita. 



The young, a few days from egg, have the upper x^arts mixed black, 

 tawny, and ash ; forehead and line through eye white ; line from bill 

 under eye to back black; jugulum black; under i^arts white; flanks 

 and sides rufous. The eggs have the drab ground-color speckled and 

 splashed, sparsely at the small end, but heavily elsewhere, with black, 

 intermingled with which are seen clouded dark spots and brown and 

 greenish-yellow spots. One set has larger eggs than the other, but 

 eight eggs give an average of 1.51 by 1.08. 



HiEMATOPODID^. 



121. H^MATOPTJS PALLiATUS Temm. — Oyster Catcher. 



Abundant about the northern point of Padre Island, but not observed 

 at Brazos nor Point Isabel, probably owing to want of shallow oyster-beds. 

 I am tokl they are seen at the lower end of Brazos Island. On March 



