296 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Xantlwura luxvosa. 



As remarked above, the passage into tlie yellow-bellied gnatemalensis is 

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

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



Habits. 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 Mexican 

 specimen, and in 1851 was first 

 brought to our notice as a bird of the 

 United States by Mr. Geo. N. Law- 

 rence of New York. Specimens of 

 this bird were obtained by the party 

 of the Mexican Boundary Survey, 

 and by Lieutenant Couch on the Eio 

 Grande, at Matamoras, New Leon, and 

 San Diego, Mexico. The only note 

 as to its habits by Lieutenant Couch is to the effect that it eats seeds and 

 insects. 



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

 the vicinity of that city, which were found among his collections. Among 

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

 this species, which he had described under tlie name of Pica cervantesii. 

 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 them 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 Pajaro verdc, or Green- 

 bird. 



Mr. Dresser states that this species was common on the lower 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 Verde detoca and 

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

 out the whole department. 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 thousand feet above the sea. It is also said to be abundant in other 

 parts of Mexico. It was observed to be quite numerous on the Tierra 

 templada, 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 



