A^o.3.] SENNETT ON THE OENITHOLOGY OF TEXAS. 431 



29, while exploring the extensive mud-flats in Lagoona Madre, close to 

 the head of Padre Island, I came upon a nest and three eggs of this 

 bird. When I found the nest there was no bird near it, and I left to 

 return in an hour or so, when there was still no bird near. I took the 

 eggs, and as I was about to leave I noticed a pair of Oyster Catchers 

 flying back and forth at some distance off; but as Gulls and Terns were 

 also flying about, whose eggs resembled these somcAvhat, I was still in 

 doubt as to their identity. The cousti-uction of the nest, however, was so 

 peculiar that I was pretty well convinced of its owner, and when I came 

 to prepare the eggs I was left no longer in doubt. I found them with 

 chicks about ready to hatch. One I parted in halves to obtain the chick 

 entire, whose feet and bill were undoubted evidence of the species. 



The nest was situated on dry mud a rod or so from the water, and 

 was simifly a slight depression, of the size of a small tea-plate, lined with 

 shells and i^ieces of shells; none of them were larger than an inch in 

 diameter, and most much smaller. They were chiefly small oyster- 

 shells, and were placed more on the sides than at the bottom of the nest. 

 No particle of grass or anything else but shells composed the nest. 

 "What was strange to* me, was, that on the island where I found it, 

 not a shell or a piece of one could be seen, and these must have been 

 brought by the bkd itself from the adjacent shell-islands or oyster-beds. 

 This was the only nest found on the island. 



The young, about ready to leave the egg, is covered with long, coarse, 

 hair-like feathers ; upper parts are partly black tipped with fulvous or 

 tarwny, and partly fulvous tipped with black ; under parts white; bill and 

 feet white. The eggs have a drab ground-color, on which are scattered 

 irregularly indistinct and clouded spots and splashes of dark slate, on 

 which are dark-brown and black dashes. These spots are located at 

 one end as much as at the other. The shape is elliptical, Avith one end 

 more pointed than the other. They measure 2.25 by 1.52; 2.20 by 

 1.56; 2.15 by 1.54. 



122. Steepsilas interpees (L.) III.— Turnstone. 



Common about the sand and shell beaches of the northern part of Padre 

 Island during the last of March. I saw them again when I took the 

 steamer, June 1, at Point Isabel and Brazos Island. They are not shy. 

 They probably breed in those locahties, although I obtained no eggs. 



EECURVIROSTRIDJE. 



123. Recuevieostea AjMEEICAna Gm.—Avocct. 



Seen in small flocks about Corpus Christi Pass up to April 1. AU the 

 specimens were in changing plumage, the fulvous and cmnamon just 

 beginning to shoAv on then- necks. 



