454 ICTEEID^. 



neaux^); Guatemala, Peten {Leyland^, 0. S.^), Duenas^ Coban {0. S.); Costa 

 EiCA {v. Frantzius i*), La Palma {Nutting i^), Bebedero, Nicoya {Arci ^ ^^). 



This well-known North-American species appears to be almost equally familiar 

 throughout Mexico, wherever marshy spots are found suitable to its habits; it is 

 more or less abundant in Northern Mexico in the State of Durango generally, and in 

 the lower portion of the Bolson de Mapimi ; and its occurrence is mentioned in 

 many parts of Southern Mexico as well as in Yucatan. In Guatemala we observed it 

 about the reed-banks skirting the lake of Duenas, the bird being resident throughout 

 the year ; we also found it in similar situations on the banks of the lake of Peten. 

 In North America A. jahceniceus has a bad reputation for the depredation it makes on 

 the grain crops ; but in Guatemala we are not aware that it ever flies far from the 

 marshes and adjoining meadows. The nest is woven in the reeds, and is constructed 

 outwardly of rushes and flags. The eggs are of a light bluish ground, and are marbled 

 and blotched with several shades of dark purple, chiefly at their larger end. 



2. Agelaeus guberuator. 



Psarocolius guhernator, Wagl. Isis, 1833, p. 381 '. 



Agelaius gubernator, Bp. P. Z. S. 1837, p. 110 =j Scl. P. Z. S. 1857, p. 313 'j 1859, p. 365'; 



1864, p. 175 ^ Ibis, 1884, p. 10"; Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xi. p. 341'; Lawr. Mem. Bost. Soc. 



N. H. ii. p. 381 '; Perez, Pr. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1886, p. 152'. 

 Agelaius phceniceus, var. gubernator, Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. B. ii. p. 163". 



A, phoenicio persimilis, sed teetricibus alarum mediis sicut minoribus omnino coccineis distinguendua. 

 $ (aut c? juv.) quam femina A. phmnicei multo obscurior, corpore supra fere unicolore, abdomine quoque vix 

 albido striate. (Desor. exempl. ex Jalapa, Mexico. £ mus. nostr. ; J aut <S juv. Mus. Brit.) 



Hab. NoETH America, Pacific province. — Mexico ^2, Mazatlan and Topic {Grayson^), 

 Valley of Mexico {White % Orizaba {Botteri^), Jalapa {de Oca^), Laguna del 

 Eosario, Nativitas {Perez ^). 



This is a western form of A. phceniceus, being found throughout the States bordering 

 on the Pacific Oceetn from the Columbia river southwards. In Mexico, Grayson 

 found it abundantly in the neighbourhood of Topic ; it also occurs in similar localities 

 near Mazatlan, being resident in both places. The southern limit of its range appears 

 to be the neighbourhood of Orizaba and Jalapa ; we have no trace of it from any portion 

 of Guatemala. Its nesting-habits are described by Brewer, and appear to be similar 

 to those of A. phceniceus ; the eggs too are also similar, but somewhat paler and less 

 heavily marked. The distinctness of this bird from A. phceniceus has been much 

 questioned of late years by writers on North-American birds, but the most recent lists 

 treat it as a distinct species, and this we believe to be the correct view. The difference 

 between the two is undoubtedly slight; but though their ranges overlap in several 

 points, no intermixture that we know of takes place. 



