2I)G 



2S0UT1I AMKUICAN BIRDS. 



Xrnt/intira lurun%a. 



As rcinarkod jiltmc, tliu jmssaije into tlic* ycllow-lR'llied ijiuttema/ensis is 

 gr.Hluiil as we ihocl'L'iI south; and tliu latter, and ]»eiliai»s even the tnras, can 

 only be consiileied as fellow races ot* a common original sju'cies. 



Hauit.s. Witiiin the limits of the United States this heautiful species 



has thus far been only met witli in 

 Southeastern Texas in the l(»wer val- 

 ley of the liio (Jrande. It was first 

 descril»ed in IH'M\ by ]M. Lesson, a 

 French naturalist, fnnn a Mexican 

 specimen, and in 1851 was first 

 brought to our notice as a bird of the 

 United States l)y Mr. CJeo. N. Liw- 

 rence of New Y(»rk. S]»ecimens of 

 this bird were obtained by the party 

 of the Mexican Boundary Survey, 

 and by Lieutenant Couch on the Kio 

 Grande, at Matamoras, New Leon, and 

 San Die;40, Mexico. The only note 

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

 insects. 



The late Dr. lierlandier of Matamoras obtained s]>ecimens of this bird in 

 the vicinity of that city, which were found amoim' his collections. Anion*' 

 his manuscrii>t notes occurs a description of the pluniaue and habits of 

 this species, which he had ilescTibed under the name of J'ica (rrcantaiii. 

 In this he states that this lurd inhabits the whole eastern coast of ^lexico, 

 but that he has only met with it on the banks of the Ifio liravo del Norte, 

 in the yicinitv of Matanioms. It is said to be both caniiyorous and f^rami- 

 niyorous, 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 cla\ys, in the manner of birds of i)rey, and 

 biting with great force. It is commonly known as Pojaro venh, or (ireen- 

 bird. 



Mr. Dresser states that this species was common on the lower Ilio Grande 

 during the winter, but was not found on the Upper liio Grande or in Texas, 

 except as a straggler from ^lexico. 



This bird, Mr. Sumichrast states, is common throughout the Department 

 of Vera Cruz, wliere it is generally known by the name of Verde detoca and 

 SoiiffJ'f. It is said to be one of the birds most generally difiiised through- 

 out the whole de])artment. 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 

 ])arts of ^lexico. It was observed to be quite immerous on the Tieira 

 templada, or table-lands, and also among the hills that bound the plains of 

 Perote and Puebla on the east, by ]ilr. William S. Pease, a naturalist who 



