ICTERID.E — THE ORIOLES. 189 



Habits. ISTotwithstanding the apparent abundance of the species at Cape 

 St. Lucas, and also in Northern Mexico along our entire border, as far as 

 New Mexico and Texas, our knowledge of its history still remains quite in- 

 complete. A single specimen was obtained in Western Texas on the Pecos 

 Elver, by Captain Pope, in 1856. Others were obtained by Lieutenant 

 Couch, April, 1853, at Santa Catarina, in Mexico. They were first seen by 

 him in the vicinity of Monterey. They were found to 1:)e generally of se- 

 cluded habits. Their song, consisting of three or four notes, is said to be 

 both rich and melodious. 



In the State of Vera Cruz, this species is given by Sumichrast as occurring 

 in both the temperate and the alpine regions. Its common name is Calan- 

 dria india. They are said by him to occur chiefly in the temperate parts, 

 where they breed, but not to be exclusively confined there, for they are also 

 found in the alpine region to the height of at least five thousand feet, near 

 Orizaba, and on the plateau at even a higher elevation. Dr. Cooper saw a 

 bird at Fort Mohave, in April, which he supposed to be this bird, but he was 

 not able to assure himself of the fact, by obtaining it. 



Mr. Xantus found this species very abundant during liis stay at Cape St. 

 LucaS; and procured a number of specimens of the birds and of their nests 

 and eggs. From his brief notes we gather that the nests are open, and are 

 not pensile. One, found May 22, was built in a bunch of moss hanging 



wings, and tail, including the whole of the lower coverts and the tips of the upper, black. 

 Lesser and middle upper, with lower wing-coverts, hinder part of back, rumji, and under parts 

 generally (except tail-coverts), orange-yellow. Length, 9.50 ; extent, 12.00 ; wing, 4.50 ; tail, 

 4.25 ; tarsus, 1.15. 



Young or female. Above yellowish-green ; more yellow on licad ; throat black ; sides of 

 neck and body beneath dull yellow. Wings dark brown, the coverts edged with wliite ; middle 

 tail-feathers brownish-black ; outer yellowish-green. Length about 8 inches. 



Younger birds are entirely dull olive-green above ; beneath greenish-yellow. 



Hab. Northeastern Mexico to Rio Grande Valley ; south to Guatemala. Oaxaca, Jan. and 

 March (ScL. 1859, 381) ; Guatemala (ScL. Ibis, I, 20) ; Vera Cruz, hot region, resident (Sumi- 

 chrast, M. B. S. I, 552). 



A close ally, and perhaps only a race, of this species, is the /. prosthemelas, Strickl., which 

 differs in smaller size, and in having the lower tail-coverts yellow instead of black (see synoptical 

 table, p. 778). 



Habits. This fine species ai^pears to be an abundant bird from Northern Mexico throughout 

 that republic and Central America to Costa Rica. I am not aware that any specimens have been 

 procured actually within our territory. It was met with at Saltillo, in the state of Coahuila, 

 Mexico, by Lieutenant Couch, where only a single specimen was obtained. It was taken at the 

 rancho of Ojo Caliente, or Hot Springs. It was quite shy and difficult of approach. Like all the 

 other Orioles, it appeared to be quite fond of the palm-tree known as the Spanish bayonet. 

 It is given by Sumichrast as occurring in the department of Vera ("ruz, where it appears to be 

 confined to the hot region. It is quite common in the district of Cordova, to the height of about 

 three thousand feet. 



Mr. Salvin states this to be the only Icterus found by him about Dueiias, where it was not un- 

 common. In a letter written by this naturalist, published in the Ibis of October, 1859, he men- 

 tions having taken the ne.st and eggs of this species. The structure, though of the same character, 

 — a hanging nest, — is very different from that of /. gularis, the common .species on the Yzabal 

 road. The nest has none of the depth of the other, but is comparatively sliallow. 



