326 TANAGEID^. 



06s. Specimina qu^dam capitis lateribus frequentissime griseo notatis, torque pectoral! quoque interdum obsoleta, 

 differunt. 



Hal. Mexico 1 2 3 8 22^ i^ot and temperate regions of Vera Cruz {Sumichrast ^^), Tierra 

 Caliente of Atlantic coast {le Strange), Cordova {SallS ^ s), Jalapa (de Oca «), Pa- 

 pantla (Deppe^), Playa Vicente {Boucard'^), Guichicovi, Santa Efigenia {Sumi- 

 c/iras^ "), Yucatan {Cabot ^^), Merida in Yucatan {Schott^^, Gaumer^^); Beitish 

 HoifDUEAS, Belize {Blancamaux); Guatemala {Velasquez de Leon^^, Constancia^^), 

 Escuintla^, Coban, Yzabal, Choctum, Savana Grande, Zapote, Mirandilla, Santa 

 Lucia Cosamalguapa, San Agustin, Retalhuleu {0. S. <& F. B. Q.); Hondueas, 

 Omoa {Leyland^^), San Pedro {G. M. Whitely^^), Comayagua {Taylor ^^^); Nica- 

 EAGUA, Hato Viejo {Baxter) ; Costa Rica, Pacuar {Carmiol ^^) ; Pai^ama, Lion Hill 

 {M'Leannan'^'^ ^^), Obispo {0. S.), Panama city {A. H. MarJcham ^o). 



Lesson's name for this species, Saltator atriceps, and Lichtenstein's, Tanagra gnatJio, 

 were both published in 1830 ; but in this case Lesson's has been generally used. In 

 the case of Tanagra abhas, Lichtenstein's title has been adopted. Of course, both 

 practices cannot be legally correct ; but, as the actual date of the publication of neither 

 work can be accurately ascertained, the names in use may as well be adhered to. 



Bonaparte's name, Arremon giganteus, based on a Guatemalan specimen, is a simple 

 synonym of Saltator atriceps ; so also is Cabot's Pyrrhula raptor : this last name was 

 proposed for the Yucatan bird, of which we have specimens differing in no way from 

 our Central-American series. 



Saltator atriceps is a characteristic bird of the hotter country on both sides of the 

 mountains of Mexico and Central America, as far south as the isthmus of Panama. 

 Sumichrast states that in Southern Mexico it is found as high as 4000 feet above the 

 sea. In Guatemala it occurred to us usually at lower elevations, and was particularly 

 common in the forest-country of the mountains sloping towards the Pacific, at an 

 elevation of about 2500 feet and under ; and in Vera Paz it was also abundant in the 

 neighbourhood of Choctum and similar situations. Saltator atriceps is rather a noisy 

 bird, with a harsh note, and is generally seen in low trees bordering a clearing in the 

 forested districts. Mr, Gaumer says it is very abundant near Merida in Yucatan, adding 

 that it feeds on the flowers of a Convolvulus, and that he found other flowers, green 

 leaves, and sometimes fruit in specimens which he dissected 21. 



There is considerable difference between individual specimens of this species as 

 regards the black band crossing the chest. In many examples this band is obsolete, 

 the white throat extending to the grey of the underparts ; in others a few black feathers 

 appear, and every gradation can be traced to a band half to three quarters of an inch 

 wide. Another point of still greater variation is in the colour of the cheeks. In 

 nearly all our examples there is some admixture of grey with the black feathers ; but 

 in some they are wholly black. A rarer form of variation is in the colour of the throat. 



