40. THE CONDOR Vol. XX ents are shot by so-called sportsmen. It is expected that the opening date will be changed to November 1 at the next meeting of the legislature. $cardafella Inca. Inca Dove. The habits of this species are peculiar. It is com- mon over the entire city of San Antonio, and especially plentiful in the suburbs, while it is rarely met with in the brush or woods. It nests from March through September, one pair in the writers' yard rearing four broods this season. Catharte8 aura 8eptentrlonall?. Turkey Vulture. Plentiful over the entire county. Nests wherever the locality is suitable, but in larger numbers in the hilly portions, which, in their numerous limestone cliffs, offer better nesting sites. Nests from the lat- ter part of February to the middle of April. Catharlsta urubu. Black Vulture. Common. Habits and nesting sites similar to those of the preceding species. Acclpiter cooperi. Cooper Hawk. On May 9, 1915, a nest containing four fresh eggs of this species was found in a heavily wooded river bottom. This is our only breed- ing record. The birds are frequently seen here in the winter and early spring, but they become rare by the time their nesting season approaches. Parabuteo unlclnctu? barrill. Harris Hawk. Though the most plentiful of our hawks, it is still by no means common. Prefers to nest in the mesquite regions, while other hawks seek the more heavily timbered localities. Nests from March to the middle of May. Buteo boreall8 calurus. Western Red-tail. A set of three heavily incubated eggs taken March 20, 1914, forms our only record of this species. It is exceedingly rare in this county and found only in the isolated timbered localities. Buteo Iineatus alleni. Florida Red-shouldered Hawk. Very rare. Nests under the same conditions and in the same localities as the former. Circus hudsonlus. Marsh Hawk. This is our most common hawk during the winter months, but it becomes exceedingly rare at the, approach of spring. Apparently only a few stragglers remain to nest here, during March and April. Polyborua cherlway. Audubon Caracara. On February 27, 1916, we flushed a fe- male of this species from a gigantic nest of broom-weed in an oak tree, about fifteen feet up. At this date' it contained three fresh eggs. The nest was kept under observation, and on April 30 it contained two fresh eggs. One of the birds was constantly on the lookout, and its warning cry sent its mate from the nest like a flash, unless approached with extreme caution. This is the only pair of blrds and the only occupied nest which has come under our observation in this county. Aluco pratlncola. American Barn Owl. This is the most common of our larger owls, but is not plentiful. It nests in cavities and small caves in the limestone and clay cliffs of the various creeks, from the latter part of .January through March. Strlx varia helve01a. Texas Barred Owl. The rarest of our owls. Seldom seen and we have been able to locate only one nest, which contained two young about two weeks old, on March 5, 1916. Otus asio mccaIll. Texas Screech Owl. Fairly common in all sections of the coun- ty. Nests in almost any sort of cavity, either natural or those drilled by the woodpeck- ers, seemingly preferring the latter when dug in telephone poles and enlarged by con- stant use. Nests from the latter part of March to the middle of May. Bubo virginianus pallescens. Western Horned Owl. This bird is rare in this county, but a few nests may be found each season. Owing to the lack of hollows of suf- ficient size, and to the scarcity of hawk nests, this species is most commonly found nest- ing in the small caves which abound in the limestone cliffs of the hill area. Horned Owls also nest in holes in the clay banks of the Medina River, which are often fifteen to thirty-five feet in height. This is also true of the Barn and Barred owls. Nests from the middle of January through February. Speotyto cunlcularia hypogaea. Burrowing Owl. A small colony of these owls, containing about twenty pairs, is located about eight miles south of San Antonio. They nest in March and April. Geococcyx callfornlanu?. Roadrunner. Common over the entire county, but nest- ing more abundantly in those localities which contain the heaviest brush, this being es- pecially true of the thick oak motts of the hilly portions. Nests are usually placed in the vicinity of a farm house. Why this is done is hard to understand, as the majority of farmers shoot the birds on sight. They nest from the middle of April through June.
