Nesting of Cassicus persicus, ^t. 365 



wc met with young birds in the nests dui'ing our residence 

 in Amapa from the 26th October to 11th November. The 

 breeding-period in Southern Guiana agrees with that in 

 Para. We know from the Prince zu Wied (op. cit. p. 1210) 

 that he generally observed the young birds in the nests found 

 by him on the Rio Belmonte, Bahia, towards the eiid of 

 December. A slightly earlier breeding- time in the northern 

 regions compared with the southern Brazilian States seems 

 to mc to be a generally prevailing phenomenon, of which I 

 have a number of instances. 



2. Gymnomystax melaxicterus. 



The splendid yellow-and-black-coloured, Oriole-like 

 Icterid, Gymnumijstax melanictenis, called " Aritana " here 

 in Lower Amazonia, is a real ornament of the campos-region 

 of Marajo and Southern Guiana wherever these districts 

 ate traversed by rivers. Damp meadows and muddy shores, 

 alternately covered and uncovered by the tides, are the 

 favourite resorts of this interesting bird of charming ap- 

 jiearancc. It is of confident demeanour and fond of 

 human residences, breeding regularly in the immediate 

 vicinity of the fazendas. In its character it reminds me 

 much more of the '^ Vira-bostas" [Molothrus) than of the 

 genuine Trupials and C.issiques; it frequents cattle-settle- 

 ments, is often engaged on the ground with cattle-dung, and 

 walks about there for quarters of an hour together in the 

 manner of the European Starling. I have been recently 

 told that its range increases with the extension of cattle- 

 breeding, and that it makes its appearance along with 

 cattle in regions where it has not been seen b:.'fore, e.g. in 

 the Municipio de Mazagao, in the north channel of the 

 Amazonian estuary. When flying it calls ivreg-kreg; when 



systematic name] ; (2) of the dry and tender roots of certain orchids 

 of a yellowish colour. 



As the proportion of botli substances is almost as two to one, and the 

 black root-like lichen is largely predominant, the <reneral aspect of these 

 northern nest-bags is of a blackish colour, contrasting in a striking 

 manner with the grayish Tillaiuhia-nivnciuv^s of S()iitheru Brazil. 



