Plate XXIV. 



ICTERUS PUSTULATUS. 



(SPOT-BACKED HANG-NEST). 



Icterus pustulatus 

 Psarocolius pustulatus 

 Icterus pustulatus 



Licht. in Mus. Berol. 



"Wagl. Isis, 1829, p. 757. 



Bp. Consp. p. 435 ; Compt. Eend. xxxvii. p. 835, et Not. On. p. 12. 



Sclater, P.Z.S. 1857, p. 228 ; 1858, p. 303 ; et Cat. Am. B. p. 134. 



Baird, Birds 1ST. Am. p. 550. 



Aurantiacus, rubro tinctus : interscapulio nigro guttato ; alis caudaque nigris, illis albo margiuatis et bujus apice 

 anguste albo : loris et gutture toto nigris : subalaribus flavis, remigum marginibus interioribus albis : rostro et pedibus 

 plumbeis : long, tota 8*5, ala3 4*0, caudae 3*8, tarsi 0*9. Fcem. omnino dilutior ; magis llavescens, interscapulio olivaceo 

 nigro guttato. 



Hab. in Mexico Meridionali, La Parada (Boucard, 1858); Atlisco (Boucard, 1865); Mazatlan {Neboux, in 

 Mus. Paris.). 



The brilliant group of Golden Hang-nests forms a conspicuous feature in the Ornithology 

 of Mexico and Central America, extending northwards into the United States, and southwards 

 into the northern parts of South America, but in each case in diminishing numbers, as regards 

 species. Southern Mexico appears to be about the focus of the group, more than a dozen species 

 occurring in this country, whilst Guatemala has very nearly, if not quite as many. In the 

 latter country, according to Mr. Salvin's observations, these birds are rather locally distributed, 

 but numerous wherever they are found, and well-known everywhere, not only from their 

 conspicuous colouring, but also on account of the short sweet song possessed by several of them. 



The present beautiful species was described by Wagler, as long ago as in 1829, in one of 

 the supplementary papers to his " Systema Avium," published in the a Isis.' ; His characters 

 were taken from examples in the Berlin Museum, which bore the MS. name " Icterus pustulatus, 

 Lichtenstein,"— and were probably from Deppe's Mexican collection. As far as we know, 

 I. pustulatus appears to be mainly a western species, having been obtained by M. Boucard at 

 La Parada in Oaxaca ; and by Neboux during one of the French expeditions near Mazatlan. 

 Prince Bonaparte states that specimens of this bird were collected by Delattre in " California." 

 Mr. Salvin also has a skin of the present species, purchased of a London dealer, with one of 

 Mr. Gruber's printed labels on it, on which is written, " Icterus cucullatus, Hooded Oriole, 

 Cape S. Lucas, May, 1861. 2. no. 178." We do not much doubt the accuracy of this 

 locality, for, although Prof. Baird seems to think its Californian occurrence somewhat apocryphal, 



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