296 



KOirril AilERICVVN BIRDS. 



Xantfiojtra luxuoaa. 



As remarked above, the imssage into the yello^r-bellied guatemalensis is 

 gradual as we proceed south ; and the latter, and perhaps even the incas, can 

 only be considered as fellow races of a common original species. 



H.\BITS. Within the limits of the United States this beautiful species 



has thus far been only met with in 

 Southeastern Texas in the lower val- 

 ley of the Eio Grande. It was first 

 described in 1839, by M. Lesson, a 

 French naturalist, from a ile.xican 

 specimen, and in 1851 was first 

 brought to our notice as a bird of the 

 United States by j\Ir. Geo. K. Law- 

 rence of New York. Specimens of 

 this bird were obtained by the party 

 of the jNIexican Boundary Survey, 

 and by Lieutenant Couch on the Eio 

 Grande, at Matamoras, New Leon, and 

 San Diego, Mexico. The only note 

 as to its hal)its by Lieutenant Couch is to the eilect that it eats seeds and 

 insects. 



The late Dr. Berlandier of Matamoras oljtaiued specimens of this bird in 

 the vicinitv of that citv, wliich were found amou" his collection.^. Anion" 

 his manuscript notes occurs a description of the plumage and habits of 

 this species, wliich he had described under tlie name of Pica ccrmntcsii. 

 In this he states that this bird inhabits the whole eastern coast of Mexico, 

 but that he has only met with it on the banks of the Eio Bravo del Norte, 

 in the vicinity of Matamoras. It is said to be both carnivorous and grami- 

 nivorous, and comes about the houses in search of the refuse. Although it 

 can swallow whole grains of corn, before eating it breaks tliem with its 

 beak, holding them between its claws, in the manner of birds of prey, and 

 biting with great force. It is commonly known as Pajnro vcrdc, or Green- 

 bird.' 



i\Ir. Dresser states that this species was common on the lowei- Eio Grande 

 during the winter, but was not found on the Upper Eio Grande or in Texas, 

 except as a straggler from ^Mexico. 



This bird, Mr. Sumichrast states, is common throughout the Department 

 of Vera Cruz, where it is generally known by the name of Vimh- ddoca and 

 Sonnja. It is said to be one of the birds most generally diffused through- 

 out tht> whole dejiartment. It inhabits both the hot and the temperate 

 regions, and is found even at the foot of the alpine, to the altitude of nearly 

 six tliousand feet above the sea. It is also said to be abundant in other 

 ])arts of Mexico. It was observed to be quite numerous on the Ticrra 

 temjjlada, or table-lands, and also among the hills that bound the plains of 

 Perote and Puebla on the east, by Mr. "William S. Pease, a naturalist who 



