452 ICTEEID^, 



Icterus honariensis, Bp. P. Z. S. 1837, p. 116" (nee Gm.). 

 Molothrus robustus, Cab. Mus. Hein. i. p. 193 ". 



Sericeo-asneus, alis oaudaque nigris, extus purpurascente violaeeis, subalaribus et crisso purpureo lavatis. Long. 



tota 8-0, alae 4*7, caudse 3'3, rostri a riotu 0-9, tarsi 1-2. (Descr. maris ex Calobre, Panama. Mus. 



nostr.) 

 5 obscure fusoa, purpureo vix tincta, subtus dilutior. Long, tota 6-8, alae 4*0, oaudse 2-8, rostri a riotu 0-8, 



tarsi 1-0. (Descr. feminte ex Duenas, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 



Eab. NoETH America, Rio Grande valley, Texas i^. — Mexico ^4, Mazatlan {Gambel^\ 

 Grayson^^, Forrer''), Presidio [Forrer'^), Manzanilla Bay and mountains of Colima 

 {Xantus 1^), Puente Nacional {Pease ^), hot and temperate regions of Vera Cruz 

 (Sumichrast^^), Izucar de Matamoros, Chietla, Acatlan (Perez ^^), Cordova (SallS ^), 

 Orizaba [BotterV), Jalapa [de Oca^), Yetla (Boucard^), Oaxaca {FenocMo''), 

 Tapana (Sumichrast ^^), Northern Yucatan [Qaumer ^i) ; Guatemala [Velasquez ^^, 

 Constanda ^^), Duenas ^, Eetalhuleu, Huamuchal {0. S.), San Geronimo {B. Owen^), 

 Choctum (0. S. & F. B. GJ); Nicaragua"; Costa Eica^^ San Jose (v. Frant- 

 zius 10 12 i6j^ La, Palma (Nutting ^^), Orosi (Kramer '') ; Panama, Calobre, Chitra 

 (Arcs 17), Panama (Bell "). 



Molothrus ceneus is a very common species throughout our region from the valley of 

 the Eio Grande southwards to the State of Panama. Such is our experience of it in 

 Guatemala, and such is the testimony of most travellers in the country. It crosses the 

 Kio Grande to the Texan side, where it was observed by Mr. Merrill chiefly at 

 Hidalgo on the Eio Grande and lower down the river. He speaks of the bird as 

 common throughout the year, a few individuals migrating southwards in the winter ; 

 he also fully describes their breeding-habits, which are similar to those of the allied 

 species, the female selecting the nests of Cardinalis, Milvulus, Icterus hullocJci, and 

 Icterus spurius in which to lay its eggs. The male during courtship has many curious 

 habits, the most noticeable of which is that of puffing out the feathers on the sides of 

 the neck, which are long, in the form of a ruff. In Mexico, Grayson observed this 

 species near Mazatlan, and watched a female make an unsuccessful attempt to appro- 

 priate a nest of Pitangus derhianus in which to lay her egg, and subsequently to 

 examine one of Icterus pustulatus for the same purpose. 



In the State of Vera Cruz, Sumichrast states that it is very common in the hot and 

 temperate lands up to an elevation of about 4600 feet i^. In Guatemala, as already 

 stated, it is very common from the sea-level to a height of 5000 feet. On the plain 

 of Salama, in the neighbourhood of San Geronimo, Mr. Eobert Owen took several 

 eggs he believed to be of this species ; these were found in the nests of two species 

 of Icterus and of Mimns gilvus and Pitangus derUanus ^. 



The usual resorts of M. ceneus are open grassy plains, where a number of individuals 

 associate in flocks and feed amongst cattle, on the backs of which they may often be 

 observed. The eggs differ widely from those of M. pecoris, being of a pale greenish- 

 white colour without spots or markings. The iris of M. ceneus, in life, is red. 



