1 68 Nehrling on Birds of Southeastern Texas. 
limited nesting range. Every nest was built in the top of a slender oak I 
and all the nests examined were neat, strong, and large structures ; they 
were constructed of plant stems, slender grasses, fragments of corn-husks, 
intermingled with sheep’s wool, and lined with finer grasses. In some 
nests a layer of mud was also to be found. 
95. Quiscalus major Vieill. Boat-tailed Grakle. — Quite regu- 
larly distributed over the coast region of Texas. I found the birds breed- 
ing in the colonies of the Little Blue Heron ( Florida ccerulea ) and the 
Snowy Heron ( Garzettci ' candidissima') , on the button bushes {Cefihalan- 
thus occidentalis ) standing in the water. May 6, 1881, I observed a colony 
of about twenty pairs near Rose Hill Post Office. They were all busily 
engaged in building their nests in the tops of young oaks. Only a few 
nests were finished, and only one contained eggs, four in number. Nest ! 
composed of weed stalks, grasses aridisheep’s' wool, lined with finer grasses ; i 
cavity very shallow if compared with nests of ^ uiscalus fiiirftureus ceneus 
and Scolecofthagus cyanocefihalus. The male has a few very fine song- | 
like notes, different from those of every other Blackbird. 
96. Corvusfrugivorus Bartr. Common Crow. — In winter numbers [' 
are to be observed on Galveston Bay, near bayous, and on the sugar cane 
fields near the Brazos. In spring they scatter over the country, breeding 
in all suitable localities, but they are then nowhere common in the coast 
region. 
97. Cyanocitta cristata Strickl. Blue Jay. — A very common res- ' 
ident; breeds abundantly in all woody localities; also often in gardens on 
mountain cedars and sometimes on the beautiful Japan medlars ( Eriobo - 
Jrya jafionied). Very bold and tame when well treated, coming then into 
door-yards and even into houses. ; 
98. Milvulus forficatus Sw. Scissor-t ailed Flycather ; “Texan 
Bird of Paradise”; “Fork-tail.” — Very common summer sojourner; 
breeds frequently in the “bosquets” on the prairies, on the borders of 
woods, on isolated trees in the fields, and even in gardens. As the nest i 
in this part of Texas is in most cases placed in trees, densely covered with 
Tillandsia, it is almost impossible to discover it. These beautiful birds 
are not at all retiring in their habits; in many instances they are so tame 
as to breed in close proximity to dwellings. They arrive from their winter 
quarters late in March,, sometimes in the first days of April. Very often 
two broods are raised yearly. I found fresh eggs as late as July 4. The 
nests in the coast region are built partly of grasses but especially of gray 
Spanish moss. In September, after the breeding season, they gather 
in large flocks, visiting the cotton fields, where multitudes of cotton 
worms ( Aletia argillacea ) and their moths abound, on which they, with 
many other small birds, eagerly feed ; early in October they depart for 
the South. 
99. Tyrannus carolinensis Temm. Kingbird. — Common summer 
resident. Arrives from the South late in March or early in April, when 
the beautiful native yellow jessamine ( Gelsemium semfiervirens) fills the 
air with its pleasant odor. Nests commonly in the honey locust ( Gledit- 
