Mr. H. E. Dresser on the Birds of Southei'n Texas, 39 
In New Orleans, where this bird is known under the name of 
“ Papabot,” it is much sought after by epicures ; and I for one 
quite agree with them in so doing, for I never tasted a better bird. 
Indeed we ate them three times a day, whenever we could procure 
them, and would touch nothing else. Our mode of cooking them 
was to pluck and draw them, then split them up the back and fry 
them in their own fat, adding a little pepper and salt; and in 
such good condition were they, that the melted fat would almost 
cover them in the pan, and the process nearly became one of 
boiling instead of frying. In some cases I have seen them so fat 
that they actually burst on falling to the ground. 
During the winter I observed none; but in April and May 
18641 noticed a few near San Antonio ; they were, however, so 
shy that I only shot one. 
Upper mandible dark greenish-black; lower mandible yellow ; 
legs pale ochre ; iris brown. Stomach containing snails. 
Tryngites rufescens (Vieillot). Buff-breasted Sandpiper. 
Late in August, on visiting the lagoon near Matamoras early 
one morning, I found a small flock of Sandpipers near to me, 
on a little grassy place a short distance from the water, and, on 
shooting several, found them to be Buffbreasts. On visiting 
the same place the following day I found more there, and alto¬ 
gether shot about a dozen, most of which I skinned. 
On our way towards San Antonio in September we found 
these birds pretty common throughout the whole journey, and I 
often shot them for the pot, finding them excellent eating. 
They are not shy, and generally go in flocks of from five to 
twelve, not resorting to the pools, but living on the small insects 
found amongst the coarse herbage which often grows some 
distance from water. Near Victoria they were very abundant; 
but after leaving that town I only saw a few. At San Antonio 
I saw none; but Dr. Heermann told me that they are often found 
there in the spring and autumn. 
Male. Bill greenish-black; legs clay-yellow; iris dark hazel. 
Stomach containing small insects. 
Limosa fedoa (Linn.). Marbled Godwit. 
In June I noticed a few Godwits near Brownsville and Mata- 
