Page:Notes on the Ornithology of Southern Texas.djvu/31

146 118. Antrostomus vociferus, (Wils.)

Rather uncommon in spring and autumn.

119. Chordeiles popetue, (Vieill.)

Appears to be a rather rare visitant in spring and autumn. — (Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 471.)

120. Ckordeiles popetue var. henryi, Cassin.

Abundant during the summer months, arriving about the 1st of April, and leaving in September. Deposit their eggs near the edges of prairies. Specimens said by Eidgway to be smaller than typical henryi. — (<7. henryi, Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 471.)

121. * Chordeiles acutipennis var. texensis, Lawr.

Common summer visitor, arriving early in April. While var. henryi is usually found about prairies at some distance from houses, the present species is most plentiful just outside of Brownsville, and I have found several sets of eggs within the fort. These are usually deposited in ex- posed situations, among sparse chaparral, on ground baked almost as hard as brick by the intense heat of the sun. One set of eggs was placed on a small piece of tin, within a foot or two of a frequented path. The female sits close, and when flushed flies a few feet and speedily returns to its eggs. They make no attempt to decoy an intruder away. I have ridden up to within five feet of a female on her eggs, dismounted, tied my horse, and put my hand on the bird before she would move. This species is more strictly crepuscular than var. henryi or popetue, and is very seldom seen on the wing during the day. The notes are a mewing call, and a very curious call that is with difficulty described. It is somewhat like the distant and very rapid tapping of a large Woodpecker, accompanied by a humming sound, and it is almost impossible to tell in what direction or at what distance the bird is that makes the noise. Both these notes are uttered on the wing or on the ground, and by both sexes. The eggs vary considerably, but exactly resemble the surface on which they are placed. The ground color is usually clay : some are very sparingly dotted with brown; others mottled with light-brown and obscure lilac; others still are so thickly marbled with brown and lilac on a dark ground as togive them a granite-like appearance. They average 1.07 by .77.— (C texensis, Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 471. — Sennett, B. Eio Grande, 34.)

122. Chaetura pelagica, (Linn.)

Not uncommon during the migrations, arriving about March 20 an<? returning in September.

123. Trochilus colubris, Linn.

Abundant during the spring and autumn migrations, but I was not able to satisfy myself that any remained to breed or to pass the winter,