SALTATOE. 329 



its yellowish eyebrows ; it also has the back and underparts tinged with olive-yellow. 

 We find birds in this dress with normally-clad adult birds throughout the range of the 

 species. 



As will be seen above, Saltator grandis has a very extensive range in our region, from 

 Southern Mexico -to Costa Rica ; but in Western Mexico S. plmnbeiceps entirely 

 supplants it. Its range in altitude is decidedly higher than that of either S. atriceps 

 or S. magnoides; Sumichrast gives its limits as nearly 5000 feet in the State of Vera 

 Cruz ; and this agrees with our observations, as we found it abundant at Duenas in 

 Guatemala, which lies at nearly this altitude. From this height it extends to the sea- 

 level at Tehuantepec in Northern Yucatan and elsewhere. 



In Guatemala its range is somewhat peculiar, as it hangs to the side sloping to the 

 Pacific Ocean rather than to Vera Paz ; but, on the other hand, it is common in 

 Northern Yucatan, and occurs also at San Pedro and Omoa, near the eastern sea-board 

 of Honduras ^ ^. 



Its habits are very similar to those of its congeners, S. atriceps and S. magnoides, 

 associating in small flocks in the lower brushwood bordering the forest. 



Concerning Saltator icteropygius (DuBus, Esq. Orn. 1. 13 ; Sol. P. Z. S. 1856, p. 70), 

 described as a distinct Mexican species, some diff'erence of opinion has prevailed, Dr. 

 Hartlaub agreeing with its describer as to its distinctness, whilst Lafresnaye and 

 Bonaparte declared it to be a specimen of Saltator grandis supplied with a tail of a 

 Ptilogonys cinereus. We have not seen the type ; but, from the figure, we have no 

 hesitation in coming to the conclusion that the bird was made up in the way suggested 

 by Lafresnaye ! 



4. Saltator plumbeiceps. 



Saltator plumbeiceps, Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. viii. p. 477' ; Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. ii. p. 274 ^ 



S. grandi similis, sed omnino pallidior, supra pallidius griseus, subtus sordide albidus, capitis lateribus multo 



paUidioribus et litura utrinque rictali nigra multo magis distiacta. 

 Av. jmi. olivascens, superciliis flavidis, litura rictali fasca distinguendus. (Descr. feminae et av. juv. ex Mazatlan, 



Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 



Hal. Mexico, Mazatlan [Xantus ^, Grayson ^, Forrer), Presidio near Mazatlan {Fovrer\ 

 Tepic {Grayson'^), plains of Colima {Xantus'^\ Putla {BShouch). 



Mr. Lawrence first published a description of this species under a MS. name given to 

 specimens obtained near Mazatlan by Xantus in 1863 ^. It was subsequently found by 

 Grayson in the same neighbourhood ^, by Xantus himself further south in the plains of 

 Colima 2, by Eebouch near Putla, and lastly in some numbers by Mr. Alphonse Forrer 

 again near Mazatlan. 



Grayson says ^ that it inhabits the forests and breeds in the spring months, during 

 which time it is in fine song. He adds that it does not migrate, and is a common 

 species in the vicinity of Mazatlan, Tepic, and San Bias. The nest he describes as 



BIOL. CENTB.-AMEE., Aves, Vol. I., Decemiev 1884. 42 



