558 BIRDS OF BRITISH GUIANA. 



Adult female. Differs from the adult male only in being less 

 glossy and smaller in measurements. 



Total length 240 mm., exposed culmen 35, wing 140, tail 85, 

 tarsus 27. 



The specimens described were both collected on the Maasaruni 

 River. 



Breeding-season. Unknown in British Gruiana. 



]!^est. See Quelch, Lloyd, and Beebe, ut infra. 



Eggs. Undescribed from British Guainn. 



Range in British Guiana. Abary River, Mazaruni River 

 {McConnell collection') ; Bartica ( Whitely). 



Extralimital Rdnge. Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, North-east 

 Brazil. 



Habits. Mr. J. J. Quelch, who met with this species at the Great 

 Falls Demerara River, writes (Timeliri (2) iv. p. 102) : — " Several 

 of the beautiful Red-backed Hangnests ( Cassicus afinis) had been 

 taken at various points along the river, where they frequented 

 the large trees in the clearings with dozens of their nests hanging 

 from the ends of the branches." 



The following note has been copied from Mr. C. A. Lloyd 

 (Timehri (2) xi. p. 5) :— " The Red-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, Cassidix oryzivora,yih\c\i deposits 

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

 its young." 



The note below has been copied from Beebe (Our Search for a 

 Wilderness, p. 137) : — " We saw small colonies of Red-backed 

 Cassiques resting in isolated Nora trees out in the water ; a new 

 method of protection on the part of these intelligent birds." 



