294 



NORTH AMKIMCAX imH)S. 



Mexico. Thduuli ue Iciiow of i„, siuiciim-ii.s luniiiu' Lct. i.rnmrod on this 

 .si.lo or tli... iM.uii.laiT line, tlu'ir o(riim..ir.! is .,.,iie piohabk'. Liuutomiut 

 (■'.ucli mot witi) tliis siHrirs near .Alont.'ivy, Moxi..., and IVoiii tlienoo west 

 to I'lirnis. Kti (le.s.;ril.cs it a.s Ikmii- -n-ariuiis and eniin-ntly Jay-like 

 in Its liah. s. Tlicy are very noi.sy and vociferons in thuir (.utcrios, and 

 xhive vv lunr of them siitlice to keep a wliole forest in an npn.ar. \ear 

 Ciiiyapneo a large sna':e (Ororr/ia vhsohh,) Mas seen pursui'd l.y three or loar 

 ol this speeies. Tiie reptile was iiiakin- every ellurt to eseape Irom their com- 

 bined attacks, and wonld, no doubt, have been killed l,y them, had they not 

 been interfered with. The cause ot ,so mueli animosity against the snake 

 was e.xplamed when, on opening its stomaeh, three young of this species, 

 about two thirds grown, were I'ouiid. 



In the Department of \'cra Cruz, Snniichrast found what he calls 0. 

 Hltranwrim in comimny ^ith C;,.nnnv ,;m,nnl„ an.l Vi/anovitla immi, " cali- 

 Joniiar {^iimlchra^tl), and wnli,l<,, occurring in tlu* alpine region, and 

 with the three finst named restricted to that localitv. The limit of their 

 extension is about that of the alj.inc region, that is, fnmi an elevation of 

 about 4,000 feet to the height of 10,500 feet. The ^ordida is also fbuud on 

 the plateau. 



Genus XANTHOURA, Bo 



N.U'. 



Xa„lh,u,ra, Rox.VPAUli;, Cons,,. Av. 1850. (Type, " Oom,s pa-nvianus, Gm.") 



Cir.Mi. Iload Willi,,,,! onst. Throat hlaek. Lateral tail-fontlicis Ini-lit yellow Bill 

 very .stout, i-ather highe,- tl.an bvoa.l ; ..iilmen crved from tho l,n,.,.. Nostrils ,'a.her small 



\nnthnurn hi.ritnsa. 



oval, oonoealofl by a ,„isal tuft varyin- in l,.„i,tl, witl. species. Tail Ion-,.,- than the 

 wm.irs: gra.luated. The wiu.^^s eo>i,.,,ve, ro,n„l,.,l ; ,|„, .s,.eo,>,la,-i..s nea,-lv as lon^^ as the 

 pnmar.es. L,.jrs v.tv stout ; hi,„l elau' al„.„t liaif the total length of the too. " 



The genus A',n,thH>ra is composed of three so-called species, of difierent 

 geographical distribution, and exhibits a progressive change from one to 

 the other, with varia.tion of latitude that enforces assent to the hypothesis 



