ICTERUS. 577 



ffist. " Its boHle-shaped nest, which is suspended to branches 

 of small trees and bushes, is composed of fine grass" 

 (^Sc/iomburgk). 



Eggs. " Three in number, of a bluish white, spotted and streaked 

 with black, and not unlike the English Yellow-hammer" {H. Lloyd 

 Price). 



Range in British Guiana. Upper Takutu Mountains, Ituribisi 

 River, Sapenaam River, Abary River (McConnell collection); 

 Georgetown {QuelcK); Bartica [Beehe). 



Extralimital Range. North Brazil, Trinidad, Venezuela, 

 Colombia. 



Habits. According to Schomburgk (Reis. Guiafi. iii. p. 680) 

 this species is most commonly observed near the coast in open 

 spaces where there are solitary trees, also in the plantations and 

 the fields cultivated by the Indians. It is. always met with in 

 pairs. Its bottle-shaped nest, which is suspended to branches of 

 small trees and bushes, is composed of fine grass. The settlers 

 call it Plantain-bird and the " Warraus " call it Zimtau. 



Mr. H. Lloyd Price (Timehri (2) v. p. 62), writing on the nests 

 and eggs of some of the common Guiana birds, remarks : — 

 "Almost as plentiful as the Keskeedies are the handsome black 

 and yellow Plantain-birds {Icterus ^eantJiomus) ,v/hose purse-shaped 

 nests will be seen hanging from the branches of many low trees. 

 The eggs, three in number, are of a bluish white, spotted and 

 streaked with black, and not unlike the English Yellow- 

 hammer." 



Mr. J. J. Quelch (tom. cit. p. 86), when writing on this species 

 in Georgetown, remarks : — " In all parts of the town, the common 

 Yellow Hangnest or Plantain Bird (Icterus xanthornus) will be 

 found flying about among the trees, and their long purse-shaped 

 nests are often to be met with on the outskirts. They are often 

 caged on account of the brilliancy of their plumage." 



VOL. 11. 2 P 



