Notes on Some Birds of Texas. 



BY J. A. SINGLEY, ESQ. 



(continued from page 3.) 



No. 27, Poiioptila cwrulea (Linn), Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher. 



A sprightly and engaging little fellow is this Gnatcatcher. It is one of 

 our summer visitors, arriving between the ist. and the 15 th. of March, and 

 leaving for the South early in October. On their arrival they are found 

 only in the bottoms, but they soon take to their nesting station — the up- 

 lands — and it is then rarely found in the bottoms. 



I have nowhere seen this bird accredited with musical abilities, never- 

 theless, it is a pleasing songster, but not loud, and it is necessary to be close 

 to the bird to hear it. It reminds me of a person humming over a tune to 

 themself, or a mother singing a lullaby to her child. 



The bird is plainly dressed ; grayish-blue above, fading to hoary on the 

 rump : below, dull white. The forehead is black with a narrow line . of 

 black over the eye. Wings, dark brown. Tail, black and very long con- 

 sidering the size of the bird, the outer feathers are mostly white. Length. 

 4.50 to 5.00 inches. Extent, 6.25 to 7.00 inches. Wing and tail each 

 2.00 to 2.25 inches. 



This species commences nesting in the latter part of April, choosing 

 either a post-oak or blackjack oak for a building site. The nest is one of 

 the marvels of bird architecture. One now before me is built throughout 

 of fine grass and lichens, the interior of the nest shows the above materials, 

 and also a few feathers as well as a quantity of a soft downy furze, that 



