GUIRACA. 345 



EaJ). NoETH America, Southern United States from Atlantic to Pacific Oceans ^^ 23 

 Texasii27 28._MBxico2 4 24^ Nuevo Leon {Couch % Frontera {Wright ^),Zoqaiio 

 {ClarJc^), Los Nogales {Kenmrly^), Tableland {Bullock % Valley of Mexico 

 {White % Tierra Fria, Velasco {le Strange), Mazatlan {Gray son '^^^^), Presidio 

 {Forrer), Tepic {Grayson^% Plains of Co\\msi {Xantus^% Guanajuato {Buges), 

 Jalapa {de Oca % Cordova {SalU ^% Vera Cruz in winter {Sumichrast ^% Oaxaca 

 {Boucard'', Fenochio), Chihuitan, Huitzo {Sumichrast '^% Merida in Yucatan 

 {Schott ^3), Izamal in Yucatan 21, Cozumel I. {Gaunter) ; Guatemala, Cuyotenango, 

 Choi, Salamaio, Choctum 10, Yzabal {0. S.&F.B. G,) ; Nicaeagua, Chinandega 

 {Hicks), Chontales {Belt ^), Omotepe I. {Nutting 22) ; Costa Eica {v. Frantzius ^^), 

 Angostura {Carmiol'^'^). — Cuba 20. 



This species visits Mexico and Central America in the winter months, spreading at 

 that season over the whole country as far south as Costa Eica. In the island of Cuba 

 alone of the Antilles, it is rarely found, and only in the month of April, when it arrives 

 with other migratory birds on their passage northwards 20. On the neighbouring main- 

 land in Northern Yucatan it is common from December to May 21. It is also found 

 in the latter month in the island of Cozumel. In Guatemala G. cmrulea is pretty 

 generally distributed throughout Vera Paz, especially in the hotter districts north of 

 Cohan 1°. We also saw it in the high ridge of mountains between Eabinal and Choi, 

 in the valley of the Motagua, and in the coast-region of the Pacific near Cuyotenango. 

 During the season of its stay in the south it is a dull, uninteresting species, uttering no 

 song. It is usually met with in small flocks, which frequent trees of moderate height. 

 Grayson, who found G. caerulea at Mazatlan from October to April, also procured a 

 specimen at Tepic in June. From this he inferred that it migrated to the Mexican 

 uplands to breed ^^. Of this we have no confirmation ; and Sumichrast simply includes 

 it as one of the migratory Finches of the State of Vera Cruz 1^. 



In the United States G. ccerulea is a well-known bird ; and Brewer gives a long 

 account of it in the ' History of the Birds of North America ' ^^, from which it would 

 appear that it seldom occurs so far north as Maine, but that in more southern States it 

 spreads from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and that it breeds wherever found. He 

 describes its nest, and speaks of its eggs as of a uniform light-blue colour, which readily 

 fades on exposure to light. 



b. Cyanocompsa. 



2. Guiraca concreta. 



Cyanoloxia concreta, DuBus, Bull. Ac. Brux. xxii. p. 150 \ 

 Goniaphea concreta, Sol. P. Z. S. 1856, p. 302'; 1857, p. 328'. 



Guiraca concreta, Sol. P. Z. S. 1859, p. 378*; Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1860, p. 33 %• P. Z. S. 1870, 

 p. 836 ' ; Salv. P. Z. S. 1867, p. 141 ' ; 1870, p. 189 ' ; Ibis, 1872, p. 317 ' ; Sumichrast, 

 BIOL. CENTE.-AMEE., Aves, Vol. I., December 1885. 44 



