452 BIRDS 0¥ British: guiana. 



They are restless birds, .seldom quite stationary for any length of 

 time, but jumping and jerking about from branch to branch and 

 tree to tree. Their cry is loud and somewhat harsh. They are 

 frequently caught by boys, and though as a rule they thrive fairly 

 well in confinement, they are neither beautiful in plumage, nor 

 melodious in song." 



The following note is copied from Brown (Canoe and Camp Life, 

 p. 41) : — " Tompitchers, insignificant looking but very lively 

 birds. They whistle loudly, producing sounds from which they 

 have derived their name." 



635. Saltator olivascens. 



G-KEY-BREASTED SaLTATOR. 



Saltator olivascens Cab. in Schomb. Eels Guian. iii. p. 676, 1848 

 (Eoraima) ; Salvia, Ibis, 1885, p. 213 ; Sclater, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. 

 xi. p. 289, 1886; Brabourne & Chubb, B. S. Amer. i. p. 371, 

 no. 3807, 1912. 



Adult male. General colour of the upper surface dark ash-grey, 

 including the top of the head, sides of the face, entire back, 

 wings, and tail, inner webs of flight-quills and tail-feathers hair- 

 brown ; a supraloral streak and feathers round the eye white ; 

 space in front of the eye, fore-part of cheeks, and sides of the 

 throat blackish : chin, throat, and middle of abdomen cream- 

 white ; breast, sides of neck, and sides of body dusky-grey ; 

 lower flanks and under tail-coverts pale fawn-colour : thighs and 

 marginal under wing-coverts whitish ; axillaries and inner wing- 

 coverts buff; under surface of flight-quills hair-brown with 

 whitish inner edges ; lower aspect of tail greyish brown. 



Total length 210 mm., exposed culmen 18, wing 103, tail 90, 

 tarsus 25. 



The specimen described was collected on Supenaam River in 

 1910. 



The young bird differs from the adult in having the throat and 

 under parts saturated with yellow, and the upper surface tinged 

 with the same colour. In an earlier stage than the specimen 

 mentioned here, the feathers on the under surface have dark shaft- 

 lines which imparts a streaked appearance. 



Breeding-season. November {Schomhurgk) . 



