194 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



differs in having black, not yellow, shoulders, and in the white markings on 

 the wings. 



Habits. The Hooded Oriole is essentially a Mexican species, though it 

 also extends northward into Texas at the liio Grande, and into Southern 

 California and Arizona. It was not noticed by Dr. Coues in Arizona, but 

 Lieutenant Charles Bendire found it breeding near Tucson in the summer 

 of 1872. It is abundant at Cape St. Lucas. Dr. Cooper found that this 

 species arrived at San Diego about April 22, where they were not rare for 

 a fortnight afterwards, and all then retired into the warmer interior valleys, 

 where he has seen them as far to the north as Los Angeles. While mi- 

 grating, they were generally silent. 



Captain McCown found it quite common on the Eio Grande, where it 

 rears its young. When met with in the woods and far away from the 

 abodes of men, it seemed shy and disposed to conceal itself. Yet a pair of 

 these birds were his constant visitors, morning and evening. They came 

 to the vicinity of his quarters — an unfinished building — at Einggold Bar- 

 racks, and at last became so tame and familiar that they would pass from 

 some ebony-trees, that stood near by, to the porch, clinging to the shingles 

 and rafters, frequently in an inverted position, prying into the holes and 

 crevices, apparently in search of spiders and such insects as could be found 

 there. From this occupation they would occasionally desist, to watch his 

 movements. He never could induce them to partake of the food he offered 

 them. 



Lieutenant Couch found this species common in the states of Tamaulipas 

 and New Leon. He found their nests generally on or under the tops of 

 the palm known as the Spanish bayonet. 



This species is given by Mr. Sumichrast as one of the birds of Vera Cruz, 

 where it is exclusively an inhabitant of the hot region, and where it is rarely 

 found above an elevation of eighteen hundred feet. 



These birds were found quite abundant at Cape St. Lucas, Lower California, 

 by Mr. Xantus, by whom a number of their nests and eggs were obtained. 

 The following brief memoranda in regard to a few of these nests will serve 

 to show their general position : — " Nest and two eggs, found May 20, about 

 ten feet from the ground, woven to a small aloe, in a bunch of the Acacia 

 Ijvosopis. Nest and two eggs, found May 22, on a dry tree overhung with 

 hops. Nest and one egg, found May 30, on an acacia, about fifteen feet 

 from the ground. Nest with young, found on an aloe four feet high. 

 Nest and eggs, found on a moss hanging out of a perpendicular bluff, on 

 the sea-coast. Nest and eggs found on a Yucca, a.ngustifolia, on its stem, 

 six feet from the ground. Nest and two eggs, found in a convolvulus, 

 on a perpendicular rock fifty feet high. Nest and three eggs, found on an 

 acacia, twenty-five feet high." 



The eggs of this species vary somewhat in shape, some being obtuse and 

 more spherical, others more pointed and oblong. They vary in length from 



i 



