474 JCTERIDiE, 



The middle of the back is orange, of the same tint as the head and rump, in /. auratus ; 

 whereas in /. cucullatus this portion is black — a difference not easily recognized in the 

 living birds at a distance. Nothing has been recorded of the habits of this species. 



g'. nostrum robustum. 



a. Dorsum medium omnino aut fere omnino nigrum. 

 15. Icterus pectoralis. 



Psarocolim peetaralis, Wagl. Isis, 1839, p. 755 ', 



Icterus pectoralis, Des Murs, Icon. Orn. t. 10"; Scl. P. Z. S. 1857, p. 305 '; Ibis, 1873, p. 373*; 



1883, p. 373 = j Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xi. p. 385"; Scl, & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 30'; Cass. Pr. 



Ac. Phil. 1867, p. 48 ' ; Lawr. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 4, p. 33 ' ; Frantz. J. f. Om. 1869, 



p. 303"; Salv. Cat. Strickl. Coll. p. 364". 

 Icterus pectoralis espinachi, Nutt. Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. v. p. 393". 

 Icterus guttulatus, Lafr. Mag. Zool. 1844, Ois. t. 53"; Cab. J. f. Orn. 1861, p. 9". 



Aurantius ; loris, gutture et interscapulio nigerrimis ; alls nigris, speculo alari minuto et secundariis mediis extus 

 late albis, tectrieibus alarum minoribus et subalaribus flavis ; pecfcore toto nigro guttato ; cauda nigra ad 

 basin alba, rectricibus tribus utrinque externis cinereo albo terminatis ; rostro nigro, mandibulse basi et 

 pedibus plumbeis. Long, tota 9-0, alae 4-2, oaudae 4*3, rostri a rictu 1-0, tarsi 1-1. 



$ mari similis, sed minus nitida, interscapulio fusco variegate et maculis pectoraUbus vix uUis. (Descr. maris 

 et feminse ex San Geronimo, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 



Hob. Mexico 1 2 [Salle % Putla (BShouch % Juchitan ^, Santa Efigenia », Tonala « (Sumi- 

 chrast) ; Guatemala {Constancia ^^), Vera Paz [STdnner '^), Eetalhuleu ^, Escuintla, 

 Savana Grande ^, San Geronimo ^ {0. S. & F. D. G.) ; Salvadok ^^, Acajutla {0. S.) ; 

 NiCAEAGUA, Chontales [Belt ^), San Juan de Nicaragua ^ ; Costa Eica {Hoffmann ^^), 

 La Palma {Nutting i^). 



This Icterus is chiefly an inhabitant of the hot region of Western America, from 

 South-western Mexico to Costa Eica, being abundant throughout what is called the 

 Costa Grande of Guatemala ; but it is not strictly confined to this district, for we met 

 with it in some numbers near San Geronimo in Vera Paz, where it associated with 

 /. gularis and I. sclateri. The distinct pectoral spots render it a conspicuous species, 

 and not easily confounded with any of its many allies. 



There seems to be some variation in the size of different specimens of this bird, and 

 small examples from Western Costa Eica have been separated under the name of 

 /. pectoralis espinachi. But we hesitate to allow size alone to be a sufficiently 

 differential character; moreover it appears that the bird we have described from 

 Guatemala only exceeds in the length of its wing the largest of Mr. Nutting's speci- 

 mens by 0'15 inch, a very insignificant difference. 



Like I. gularis this species frequents the scattered trees of comparatively open country 

 rather than the dense forest. The song of the male, though short, has the clear musical 

 notes possessed by so many species of Icteri. 



