402 BIRDS FROM NICARAGUA AND TOSTA RICA — RICHMOND. 



nearly so loud aud clear. At times, like Sporophila corvina, it seeks a 

 perch in the toi) of a tree from whicli to deliver its song". Usually, how- 

 ever, it is content with the tall grass growing in the plantations and 

 on the edge of the water, where it leads a careless life and tinds an 

 abundance of food. 



A nest lonnd June 14 was in a bush, 3 feet from the grouud. It was 

 made of flue weed stems, the inner part entirely of tine hair like stems, 

 lined with the same. Eggs, two, ovate, grayish white, finely spotted 

 iill over, particularly on the large end, with lavender, aud over these 

 small, irregular dark-brown markings. They measure 0.83 by 0.59, 

 0.78 by 0.58. 



71. Guiraca concreta (Du Bus). 



Rather common, especially in clearings, and thickets bordering the 

 woods. The song is not very remarkable. On one occasion I found 

 several of these birds a short distance in the woods behaving very sus- 

 l)iciously near a colony of army ants, but am unable to say whether 

 they were preying on the ants or not. 



72. Sporophila corvina (Scl.). 



Extremely abundant, particularly on the Escondido, where it fairly 

 swarms in all suitable sitnations, in the long grass and around clumps 

 of bushes. It is very social and much like Ramphocclus in its habits. 



In the Centrali- American a J Biolof/ia Ares, i, 350, referring to this 

 species, the statement is made that "in Nicaragua alone it approaches 

 the Pacitic, having been found at Los Sabalos on the western shore 

 of the Lake of Nicaragua." This is a mistake, as Los Sabalos is located 

 on the San Juan, some miles east of the lake (Nutting gives it as about 

 35 miles). This hacienda is not shown on any map, but the Siibalos 

 Kiver, which gives the location exactly, empties into the San Juan from 

 the north, and is named on most maps, I believe. The birds are abun- 

 dant here, and also on the Eio Frio in favorable places. 



The song of this species is a rapid chant, giving one the impression 

 that the singer is in a hurry to linish and be off with the rest of its 

 kind. The bird is quite a mimic, frequently 1 ringing the notes of other 

 species into various parts of its little performanc(\ I have detected 

 the notes of Mijiozetetes tcxensls, CrotoplnKjn, Uamphocrlus, and others 

 during one execution. At times the song appears to be composed 

 almost entirely of the notes of other species. The common call is a 

 "de«''-ah," and reminds one of a note of ^Spitnis tristis. 



Breeding begins in May, as fresh eggs were found about the middle 

 of the month. The nest is usually placed in a bush^ though often in 

 tlie grass, at heights varying irom 2 to 8 feet. It is comi)osed of fine 

 stalks and grasses, lined with finer ones. Sonu'times the nest is made 

 of one material, without extra lining. The eggs are two; yellowish 

 white, blotched with pale lavender, over which are heavy, though 



