374 BIRDS OF BRITISH GFIAXA. 



white, the following one blackisli only at the hase ; throat and 

 remainder oE tlie under surface fulvescent huff, with dark narrow 

 bars on the sides of the body like the axillaries and lesser under 

 wing-coverts, the greater series of the last daik brown like the 

 under surface of the quills ; a large patch of white on the basal 

 portion of the quill-lining ; lower aspect of tail black in the 

 middle bordered with white. 



Total length 225 mm., exposed culmen 21, wing 82, tail 9G, 

 tarsus 36. 



The male described was collected on the Demerara Eiver. 



Adult female. Similar to the adult male but rather smaller. 

 Wing 77 mm., tail 89. 



The female described was collected on the Abary River in 

 October 1888. 



A young bird from the Ituribisi River differs from the adult in 

 having the upper wing-coverts and innermost secondaries fringed 

 with rufous, an inclination to rufous on the base of the forehead, 

 a white postocular streak, the ear-coverts brown with glossy shaft- 

 streaks, the throat almost white, and in the absence of the dark 

 bars on the sides of the l)ody. 



Breeding-season. Unknown in Bi'itish Guiana. 



Nest. Its nest is placed in a clump of coarse grass {Selwmlmrgk) . 



Eggs. Uudescribed from British Guiana. 



Range in British Guiana. Upper Takutu Mountains, Ituribisi 

 River, Supenaam River, Bartica, Bonasika River, Abary River, 

 Demerara River (^McConnell collection^; Abary Savannas (Beebe). 



ExtralimitaL Rauge. Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, 

 Central and Eastern Brazil. 



Habits. Concerning this bird Schomburgk (Reis. Guian. ii. 

 p. 484) writes : — "Is most peculiar in its habits, for as soon as it 

 sees a human beino; it makes a oracklintr note, not unlike that of 

 the Reed-Bunting of Eurojte, and immediately all the other indi- 

 viduals of the same species come rushing to it and join in making 

 the same sound, flying up and down the bushes in great excite- 

 ment, but as soon as the intruder is out of sight every bird 

 returns to its own domain and all is peace once more." 



Schombui'gk states (Reis. Guian. iii. p. 674) that he only met 

 this species near the coast, where it frequents the boggy lands 

 with reed-like grass mixed with bushes. Its nest is placed in a 

 ciump of coarse grass. The " Macusis " call it Mariraeking. 



