450 ICTERID 2. 
accounts being that given by Mr. Hudson (P.Z. 8. 1874, p. 153 e¢ seqg.), in which he 
gives the details of his observations on three species of Molothrus found in the vicinity 
of Buenos Ayres. 
Like Dolichonyx, Molothrus has a short, stout, conical bill, the mesorhinium is 
rounded, the culmen being slightly curved, the nostrils are open at the extremity of 
the nasal fossa, the tomia of the maxilla is somewhat abruptly bent beneath the 
nostril, the feet are stout (especially the hind toe and its claw): the wings are mode- 
rately long, the second and third quills being equal and longest; the first falls a little 
short of these; the fourth, in JZ. pecoris, is considerably shorter than the first, in 
M. ceneus they are equal ; the tail is slightly rounded, each feather being rounded at 
the end and not pointed as in Dolichonys. 
1. Molothrus pecoris. 
Fringilla pecoris, Gm. 8. N. i. p. 910°. 
Agelaus pecoris, Sw. Phil. Mag. new ser. i. p. 486’. 
Psarocolius pecoris, Wag). Isis, 1831, p. 527°. 
Molothrus pecoris, Scl. P. Z. S. 1857, p. 2134; 1859, p. 365°; 1860, p. 252°; Ibis, 1884, p. 37; 
Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xi. p. 333°; Baird, Mex. Bound. Surv. il. Zool., Birds, p.18°; Cass. Pr. 
Ac. Phil. 1866, p. 17°; Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. B. 11. p. 154"; Coues, B. N. W. 
p. 180”. 
Molothrus obscurus, Cass. Pr. Ac. Phil. 1866, p. 18’. 
Molothrus pecoris, var. obscurus, Lawr. Bull. U. 8S. Nat. Mus. no. 4, p, 24"; Mem. Bost. Soc. N, 
H. u. p. 280”. 
Molothrus ater, Coues, Key N. Am. B. ed. 2, p. 402*°; Check-List N. Am. B. p. 248%; Perez, 
Pr. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1886, p. 151”. 
Purpureo-niger, viridi-seneo micans ; capite toto undique cum cervice et pectore antico fumoso-brunneis, hoe colore 
ad corpus purpureo marginato; rostro et pedibus nigris. Long. tota 6-5, ale 3:9, caudew 2:9, rostri a 
rictu 0-7, tarsi 0-85. 
@ fusca, fere unicolor, dorsi plumis medialiter, alis et cauda vix saturatioribus ; subtus paulo dilutior, gula cseru- 
lescente. Long. tota 5:5, ale 3-4, caude 2°3, rostri a rictu 0°6, tarsi 0°85. (Descr. maris et feminze ex 
Mazatlan, Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. NortH America, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, and from Southern 
Canada southwards.—Mexico ® (Sallé*), Los Nogales (Kennerly®), Mazatlan 
(Grayson, Forrer®’), Manzanilla Bay (Xantus 1°), tableland near Mexico (Bullock?), 
Orizaba® (Botteri*), Jalapa (de Oca*), Huexotitla (Perez !*), Tehuantepec city 
(Sumichrast '4). 
There are said to be two races of this well-known bird, differing in size. The larger 
and more northern bird has an extensive range throughout the States, and is migratory, 
spending the winter months in the south, when it reaches as far south as Southern 
Mexico. The smaller bird is stated to be resident in Texas, Arizona, and California, 
as well as in Southern and Western Mexico. Thus in the winter months both birds 
are found in the same districts.. 
This difference in size is represented in male specimens before us by a difference in 
