450 ICTEEID^. 



accounts being that given by Mr. Hudson (P. Z. S. 1874, p. 153 et seq.), in which he 

 gives the details of his observations on three species of Molothrus found in the vicinity 

 of Buenos Ayres. 



Like Dolichonyx, Molothrus has a short, stout, conical bill, the mesorhinium is 

 rounded, the culm en being slightly curved, the nostrils are open at the extremity of 

 the nasal fossa, the tomia of the maxilla is somevchat abruptly bent beneath the 

 nostril, the feet are stout (especially the hind toe and its claw) : the wings are mode- 

 rately long, the second and third quills being equal and longest ; the first falls a little 

 short of these ; the fourth, in M. pecoris, is considerably shorter than the first, in 

 M. ceneus they are equal ; the tail is slightly rounded, each feather being rounded at 

 the end and not pointed as in Dolichonyx. 



1. Molothrus pecoris. 



Fringilla pecoris, Gm. S. N. i. p. 910'. 



Agelaus pecoris, Sw. Phil, Mag. new ser. i. p. 436 ^ 



Psarocolius pecoris, Wagl. Tsis, 1831, p. 527'. 



Molothrus pecoris, Scl. P. Z. S. 1857, p. 213*; 1859, p. 365"; 1860, p. 252'; Ibis, 1884, p. 3^ 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xi. p. 333'; Baird, Mex. Bound. Surv. ii. Zool., Birds, p. 18°; Cass. Pr. 



Ac. Phil. 1866, p. 17 " ; Baird, Brew., & Eidgw, N. Am. B. ii. p. 154 " ; Cones, B. N. W. 



p. 180", 

 Molothrus obscurus, Cass. Pr. Ac. Phil. 1866, p. 18 ". 

 Molothrus pecoris, var. obscurus, Lawr. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no, 4, p. 24 " ; Mem. Best. Soc. N^ 



H. ii. p. 280". 

 Molothrus ater, Coues, Key N. Am. B. ed. 2, p. 402"; Check-List N. Am, B. p. 248"; Perez, 



Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1886, p. 151 ". 



Purpureo-niger, viridi-aeneo micans ; capite toto undique cum cervioe et pectore antico f umoso-brunneis, hoc colore 



ad corpus purpureo marginato ; rostro et pedibus nigris. Long, fcota 6-5, alae 3*9, caudaB 2*9, rostri a 



rictu 07, tarsi 0-85. 

 5 fusca, fere unicolor, dorsi plumis medialiter, alls et cauda vix saturatioribus ; subtus paulo dilutior, gula caeru- 



lescente. Long, tota 5-5, alse 3-4, caudse 2'3, rostri a rictu 0-6, tarsi 0-85. (Descr. maris et feminsB ex 



Mazatlan, Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 



Ilab. NoETH America, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, and from Southern 

 Canada southwards. — Mexico ^ (Salle ^), Los Nogales {Kennerly % Mazatlan 

 (Grayson''-^, Forrer^), Manzanilla Bay (Xantus ^^), tableland near Mexico (Bullock^), 

 Orizaba^ {Botten% Jalapa {de Oca^), Huexotitla {Perez ^^), Tehuantepec city 

 [Sumichrast i*). 



There are said to be two races of this well-known bird, differing in size. The larger 

 and more northern bird has an extensive range throughout the States, and is migratory, 

 spending the winter months in the south, when it reaches as far south as Southern 

 Mexico. The smaller bird is stated to be resident in Texas, Arizona, and California, 

 as well as in Southern and Western Mexico. Thus in the winter months both birds 

 are found in the same districts. 



This difference in size is represented in male specimens before us by a difference in 



