452 ICTERIDZ. 
Icterus bonariensis, Bp. P. Z. S. 1837, p. 116” (nec Gm.). 
Molothrus robustus, Cab. Mus. Hein. i. p. 193 ™. 
Sericeo-eneus, alis caudaque nigris, extus purpurascente violaceis, subalaribus et crisso purpureo lavatis. Long. 
tota 8-0, ale 4:7, caude 3:3, rostri a rictu 0-9, tarsi 1-2. (Descr. maris ex Calobre, Panama. Mus. 
nostr.) 
2 obscure fusca, purpureo vix tincta, subtus dilutior. Long. tota 6-8, ale 4:0, caude 2:8, rostri a rictu 0°8, 
tarsi 1:0. (Descr. femine ex Duenas, Guatemala, Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. Nortu America, Rio Grande valley, Texas !9.—MeExico *4, Mazatlan (Gambel™, 
Grayson, Forrer’), Presidio (Forrer’), Manzanilla Bay and mountains of Colima 
(Xantus 14), Puente Nacional (Pease), hot and temperate regions of Vera Cruz 
(Sumichrast'), Izucar de Matamoros, Chietla, Acatlan (Perez 22) Cordova (Sallé *), 
Orizaba (Botteri’), Jalapa (de Oca‘), Yetla (Boucard’), Oaxaca (Fenochio"), 
Tapana (Sumichrast 13), Northern Yucatan (Gawmer*1); Guatemaza (Velasquez °°, 
Constancia 18), Duefias ®, Retalhuleu, Huamuchal (0. S.), San Geronimo (£. Owen®), 
Choctum (0. S. & F. D. G.7); Nicaracua™; Costa Rica’, San José (v. Frant- 
zius 101216), Ta Palma (Nutting 2°), Orosi (Kramer™); Panama, Calobre, Chitra 
(Arcé1"), Panama (Bell 14). 
Molothrus eneus is a very common species throughout our region from the valley of 
the Rio Grande southwards to the State of Panama. Such is our experience of it in 
Guatemala, and such is the testimony of most travellers in the country. It crosses the 
Rio Grande to the Texan side, where it was observed by Mr. Merrill chiefly at 
Hidalgo on the Rio Grande and lower down the river. He speaks of the bird as 
common throughout the year, a few individuals migrating southwards in the winter; 
he also fully describes their breeding-habits, which are similar to those of the allied 
species, the female selecting the nests of Cardinalis, Milvulus, Icterus bullocki, and 
Icterus spurius in which to lay itseggs. The male during courtship has many curious 
habits, the most noticeable of which is that of puffing out the feathers on the sides of 
the neck, which are long, in the form of a ruff. In Mexico, Grayson observed this 
species near Mazatlan, and watched a female make an unsuccessful attempt to appro- 
priate a nest of Pitangus derbianus in which to lay her egg, and subsequently to 
examine one of [cterus pustulatus for the same purpose. 
In the State of Vera Cruz, Sumichrast states that it is very common in the hot and 
temperate lands up to an elevation of about 4600 feet 1°. In Guatemala, as already 
stated, it is very common from the sea-level to a height of 5000 feet. On the plain 
of Salama, in the neighbourhood of San Gerénimo, Mr. Robert Owen took several 
eges he believed to be of this species; these were found in the nests of two species 
of Icterus and of Mimus gilvus and Pitangus derbianus °. 
The usual resorts of J. wneus are open grassy plains, where a number of individuals 
associate in flocks and feed amongst cattle, on the backs of which they may often be 
observed. The eggs differ widely from those of WM. pecoris, being of a pale greenish- 
white colour without spots or markings. ‘The iris of Jf. wneus, in life, is red. 
