438 ICTERIDA. 
Supra luride castaneus, capite toto et cervice, tibiis et subalaribus nigris, abdomen versus in castaneum transeunte, 
crisso dorso concolori; cauda flava, rectricibus duabus mediis nigricantibus; rostro nigro ad apicem abrupte 
flavo, pedibus nigris. Long. tota 19-0, ale 10-4, caude 8-0 (rectr. med. 7 0), rostri a rictu 3-0, tarsi 22. 
(Deser. maris ex Choctum, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 
? mari similis sed multo minor. Long. tota 14:5, ale 7:6, caude 5-7, rostri a rictu 2-3, tarsi 2-0. 
Hab. Muxico'*, Cordova (Sadlé*), Jalapa (de Oca +), hot region of Vera Cruz (Sumi- 
chrast'°), tierra caliente of the Atlantic coast (Je Strange), Playa Vicente 
(Boucard®), Actopam, Barra de Santa Ana, Paso de la Milpa (Perez 2°); Brivisn 
Honpuras (Llancaneausx !*) ; Guatemata, Iguana (0. 8.°), Choctum 18, Chisec 18, 
Quirigua, Yzabal, between Cahabon and San Luis (0. 8. & F. D. G.), Tucuru and 
Tamahu (Sarg); Honpuras, Omoa (Leyland ®), San Pedro (G. I. Whitely 1), 
Taulevi (G. C. Taylor **); Nicaragua, Sucuya!’, Los Sabalos!® (Nutting), Blewfields 
river (Wickham ++); Costa Rica, San Carlos, Angostura (v. Frantzius 17, Carmiol 12). 
Sarapiqui, Tucurriqui, San Mateo, Aguacate, Orosi (v. Frantzius 17); Panama, Lion 
Hill (McLeannan 11 8), 
The range of Gymnostinops montezume is very similar to that of Eucorystes wagleri, 
extending from the Eastern forests of Southern Mexico, through eastern Guatemala, 
and in Nicaragua southwards to Panama, embracing the forests of both Atlantic and 
Pacific coast-regions. Beyond Panama it does not extend, its place being apparently 
taken in Darien by the allied G. guatemozinus. It is absent from the western forests 
of the isthmus of Tehuantepec, and from the whole of the Pacific coast-region of 
Guatemala. 
Sumichrast says G. montezume is confined to the hot region of Vera Cruz, seldom 
ascending the mountains to a height of 3300 feet above the sea!6. In Guatemala we 
found it at lower elevations, but abundant in all the forest-country north of Coban to 
the confines of Peten, and in the lower portions of the valleys of the Polochic and 
Motagua rivers. It lives in colonies, and makes a nest, like that of Eucorystes wagleri, 
of grasses neatly woven. Lach nest is suspended to the end of an outer bough of some 
isolated forest tree, and hangs some two or three feet in length, with the opening at 
the top. Often forty or fifty nests may be seen in one tree. Mr. Nutting says the 
birds, on entering the nests, shake them violently about, causing them to make a 
rustling sound 18, 
The cry of this species is very loud and discordant, and as different as possible from 
the melodious notes of the various species of Icterus. 
When fresh these birds and their immediate allies have a very peculiar odour. 
The species most nearly allied to G. montezume is G. bifasciatus of the lower 
Amazons valley, a bird we have never seen, but which Cassin pronounced to be quite 
distinct, the thighs being chestnut instead of black. 
