434 MR. A. BOTJCARD ON BIRDS FROM YUCATAN. [Juiie 1!), 



chirping when disturbed ; they nest on the ground, under or near a 

 tuft of high grass. 



9. PHLtEOCRYPTES MELANOPS (Vieill.). 



(S . La Plata, Buenos Aires, Arg. Rep., Nov. 14, 1882. 



2 • La Plata, Buenos Aires, Arg. Rep., Nov. 6, 1882. 



Iris sepia. 



These birds are found abundantly about the lagoons, where they 

 may be seen darting about amongst the tall reeds that form a thick 

 mass round the edge of the water ; they are rather difficult to distin- 

 guish, as they are of a sombre colour and keep well amongst the 

 reeds, only occasionally taking a short flight from one clump to 

 another. I found their nests abundant ; rather round in shape, with 

 the aperture near the tip, which is very strong and neatly rounded 

 off. The nest is made of grass supported on three or four reeds joined 

 together for that purpose ; it is built about a foot above the water, 

 and is a very neat and strong structure ; the interior is nicely lined. 

 I ouce found two nests together, one on the top of the other ; the 

 underneath one was occupied, but that above seemed not to have been 

 quite finished. 



Three eggs, in a clutch, of a uniform dull pale-green colour. 



Measurement : axis 22 miUim., diam. 15 millim. 



7. On a Collection o£ Birds from Yucatan. By A. Boucard, 

 C.M.Z.S. With Notes by Osbert Salvin, M.A., F.R.S. 



[Eeceived Jime 18, 1883.] 



From October 1878 to August 1881 Mr. G. F. Gaumer (the 

 well-known American collector of AmblychUa cylindriformis and 

 other rare insects) traversed various parts of the State of Yucatan, in 

 Mexico, with the object of making collections of natural history. 

 At my request he consented to devote himself particularly to birds 

 and to study their habits. The notes and observations which he 

 has sent me on the general aspect of the country and the habits of 

 the birds collected are so interesting, that I have determined to 

 have them ))ublished ; and for that purpose I have carefully named 

 all the birds he sent me and have prepared the following list. 

 Among the birds collected by Mr. Gaumer are some great rarities, 

 such as Meleac/ris ocellata, Chrijsotis xantjiolora, Melanoptila gla- 

 brirostris, Pyranga roseigitlaris, Icterus auratus, Cyunocitta yuc.a- 

 tanica, and Amazilia yucataneiisis, which have been found up to the 

 present time only in Yucatan and in the adjoining countries ; but 

 a great number of the species found by Mr. Gaumer are the 

 same as those which I collected myself at San Andres Tuxtla and 

 Playa Vicente, countries situated south of Mexico on the Atlantic 

 side, such as Crypturus sallcei, Penelope purpurascens, Crax glo- 



