CACicus. 557 



cnrions, hut in tins nest two totally ditferent kinds of Pggs, l)otb 

 in size and colour, are almost always to be found. The larger 

 kind is blue, spotted with black ; the other barely half the size is 

 white, spotted with red-brown. The shell of the latter is re- 

 markably thin. Both the Mocking-Bird and the Bunyah build 

 in colonies, twenty and thirty nests often hanging from the same 

 tree.^' 



]\Ir. J. J. Quelch {torn, cit.) observed this species in Georgetown, 

 and remarks that Ostinops decumanns is known by various names 

 — such as Cassiques, Hangnests, Troupials, Orioles, etc. — and 

 many of them are gifted with great powers of song, while others 

 are imitative "to a remarkable degree, such as the common 

 Mocking-bird of Guiana {Cassiciis persicus), which does not occur 

 within the immediate neighourhood of the city. 



The following note is quoted from Mr. C. A. Lloyd (Timehri (2) 

 xi. p. 5): — " Cassicus persicus, the Yellow-backed Mocking-bird. 

 Their young are also attacked by the mosquito-worm. Mr. Barshall 

 informs me that these birds are frequently made the victims of 

 another member of their family, Cassidiz oiyzivora, which deposits 

 its eggs in their nests and imposes upon them the task of rearing 

 its young. '^ 



700. Cacicus heemorrlious. 



Brazilian Red-rumped Cacique. 



Oriohis hcemorrlious Linn. S3^st. Nat. i. p. 161, 1706 (Brazil). 

 Cassicus hcemorrhous Cab. in Schomb. lieis. Guian. iii. p. 681, 184S. 

 CassicHs ajfinis Salvin, Ibis, ISSo, p. 198 (Bartica Grove) ; Sclater, Cat. 



B. Brit. Mu.s. xi. p. 285, 1886 (Bartica Grove); (Quelch, Timehri 



(2) iv. p. 102, 1890 (Great Falls Demerara Biver) ; Lloyd, op. cit. 



xi. p. 5, 1897 (ne.sting habits). 

 Cacicus affinis Beebe, Our Search for a Wilderness, p. 187, 1910 (Hoorio 



Creek (nesting). 

 Cacicus hcemorrhous Bnibourne & Chubb, B. S. Amer. i. p. 433, 



no. 4460, 1912. 

 Cacicus hcemorrlious hreinorrlious Beebe, Tropical Wild Life in British 



Guiana, p. 137, 1917 (Bartica). 



Adult male. General colour both on the upper and under 

 surface glossy black, with steel-blue reflections. The lower back, 

 rump, and short upj)or tail-coverts bright scarlet-red. 



Total length 205 mm., exposed culmeu 37, wing 178, tail lO'J, 

 tarsus 31. 



