DISTRIBUTION OF THE BIRDS OF VERA CRUZ. 553 



of the State of Vera Cruz. These two species of Icterus occur from the other side of the 

 western and southern frontiers of the department, that is, from Tehuacan, where they begin 

 to appear, as far as the coast of the Pacific, where they are very common. 



110. Icterus Audubonii. Vulg. Calandria. Temperate region. 



111. Icterus melanocephalus. Temperate region. 



These two Icteri have their centre of propagation in the temperate region. They are 

 very common in the district of Orizaba, where they breed. 



112. Icterus Pansorum. Vulg. Calandria India. Temperate and alpine regions. This 

 occurs chiefly in the temperate parts, where it breeds, but is not exclusively confined there, 

 for it is found in the alpine region to the height of at least 1600 metres, near Orizaba, and 

 on the plateau at even a higher elevation. 



113. Icterus cucullatus. Vulg. Calandria. Hot region. This species is rare above an 

 elevation of 600 metres. 



114. Icterus mesomelas. Vulg. Calandria. Hot region. Belongs to the hot country, but 

 passes up to a height of 1000 metres. 



115. Scolecophagus cyanocephalus. Vulg. Tordo. Plateau. Particularly abundant in the 

 plateau, this species rarely shows itself in the valley of the Orizaba except in the winter, 

 and that district is the only locality in which I have found it in the department. It usually 

 comes there in company with another troopial, which is, I believe, the MoMhrus pecoris. 



116. Qiriscalus macrourus. Vulg. Tordo. Hot, temperate, and alpine regions. Common 

 everywhere throughout the department where it nests. In the neighborhood of Cordova 

 and Orizaba, it lives in large communities. A single tree is often loaded with its nests. 



117. Qvhcalus Sumichrastii. Vulg. Ocho. Hot and temperate regions. Very common in 

 the hot and in the temperate zone of the department to the height of 1200 metres. It is a 

 bird of the woods, and is less sociable than the rest of its tribe. 



In the hot region there is also another Quiscalus, the plumage of which is remarkable for 

 the brilliancy of its reflections of violet and purple. I merely mention it here, not having 

 yet been able to determine with certainty to what species it belongs. 



118. Oslinops Montezuma. Vulg. Zacua Viuda. Hot region. Resident in and confined to 

 the hot region of the department, this species rarely ascends to the height of 1000 metres. 



119. Oojalus Waijlerii. Hot region. I met for the first time this species in the great and 

 virgin forests of Cerra de la Defensa at an elevation of about 900 metres. Its song, like 

 that of the Oslinops Montezuma and of the Cassieidus melanidcrus (the latter from the Pacific 

 coast), possesses a sonorous and metallic ring that throws its sound to a great distance. 



120. Cassieidus Prevostii. Vulg. Tordo veloz. Hot and temperate region. Common in the 

 wooded localities of the hot and temperate regions, where it is resident. 1 think it does 

 not ascend beyond a height of 1000 metres. It does not reach Orizaba. 



The Agelaius phcenicius (?) is sometimes killed about Orizaba, but I presume it to be only 

 a bird of passage. The Icterus baltimore and the Icterus spurius are also found in the depart- 

 ment, but they are not, to all appearance, resident. 



Corvuxe. 



121. Corpus cacalotl? Vulg. Cuervo cacabtl. Alpine region. I refer to this species, so 

 imperfectly characterized, the only representative of the genus that inhabits the depart- 

 ment. It is rarely found except within the limits of the plateau, where it is the most abun- 



MEMOIRS BOST. SOC. NAT. HIST. Vol. I, l't. 4. 1'M 



