8 



THE SUNNY SOUTH OOLOGIST. 



good terms with all domestic animals, and 

 rids the earth of a great deal of decaying 

 animal matter. 



If he should leave us and join his yellow 

 billed brother in California we would miss 

 him very much and could forgive his numer- 

 ous trick and deceitful ways, yet at the same 

 time we hope the "yellow bill" will not 

 come here, for we have enough of them 

 now. 



Fred M. Dille, Greely, Col. 



-4"*- 



[For the Sunny,"South;Oblogist.] 



THE SOLITAKY YIREO. 



(Laniviseo Solitarius^ Viell Baird.) 



The Solitary Vireo is not equally distri- 

 buted over North America, or the United 

 States of North America, but its range ex- 

 tends from the Atlantic to the Pacific; but 

 the bird takes on some different characters 

 in the Southern Rocky Mountain region, and 

 is known as the Plumbeous Vireo. This 

 Vireo is more abundant on the eastern and 

 western portion of the United States than in 

 the interior. I have not found any record 

 stating that it is common west of the Miss- 

 issippi River, and east of the foot hills of the 

 Rockies. The Texas record is interesting as 

 showing its rarity in Texas. Dr. J. C. Merrill 

 noted it at Brownsville, Texas, on August 27, 

 1877, and it is the only record I find of the 

 fall fight (in Texas.) Mr. Geo. B. Sennett 

 found only one specimen during his two vis- 

 its to the region of Hidalgo in the spring. 

 Mr. Sennett's example inclined toward both 

 the type and sub species. Mr. N. C. Brown 

 visited Kimball Co., Texas, twice and got 

 one February 3, 1883. (Auk Vol. 1, No. 2, 

 page 122. ) Lieut. Mc ' 'auly saw it ' 'occasion- 

 ally" on the upper Red River (of Texas,) and 

 Mr. Nehrling reports it as "rare during 

 migrations," near Houston, Texas. Dr. 

 Woodhouse does not report it at all. 'I he 

 only note I have of its occurrence in Cook 

 County, Texas, is May 7, 1877, and this speci. 

 men was not preserved. 



G. H. Ragsdale. 



Gainesville, Texas, 

 January 27,1886. 



lyor the Sunny South Oblogist.] 



WATER OUZEL, or AMERICAN DIPPER. 



{Cinclus Mexicanus Swai7is.) 



This is one of our most common birds ; 

 one of the few that do not fear our stormy 

 winters, but may be seen around their 

 favorite haunts at any season in the year. 

 In appearence this bird is more like the 

 wren than any other common bird, al- 

 though in some respects it very much 

 resembles the Sand Piper. When at 

 rest on the water's edge, it balances 

 and nods, at the same jerkeng its tail in 

 a way that is very much like the actions 

 of the latter under similar circumstances. 



The Dipper is a very unsocial little 

 fellow, and not only has he very positive 

 ideas in regard to his right to some certain 

 portion of the stream, around and in 

 which he lives, but he is not slow to 

 forcibly resent any intrusion by a weaker 

 brother, into his chosen domain. I have 

 seen many of them, either in pairs or 

 singly but never saw more than two 

 together. 



The food of the water Ouzel consists 

 mainly of a quatic insects, which it pro- 

 cures under the water at the bottom of 

 some clear mountain stream. He is 

 capable of moving about under water 

 with the greatest of ease, and may be 

 seen, in some clear pool, to half fly, half 

 scramble along the bottom with great 

 rapidity, clinging with its feet to the 

 small plants and stones over which it 

 passes. 



The sonsr of the bird is much like that) 

 of the Brown Thrush ; and although it is 

 not so loud nor strong, surpasses it in 

 clearness and sweetness of tones. In the 

 spring one can scarcely cross a stream 

 without hearing the bell-like notes of en- 

 couragwuent with which it cheers its 

 mate. 



The nest, which is generally in the 

 form of a more or less perfect sphere, the 

 symmetry depending in a great measure 

 upon the acivantages of the situation. 

 The lower part of the nest is composed of 

 small sticks, and the upper part, or dome, 

 of moss and fine grasses. The entrance, 

 which is placed low down on one side, is 



