Carriker : List of the Birds of Costa Rica. 833 



649. Amblycercus holosericeus (Lichtenstein). 



Sturnus holosericeus Lichtenstein, Preis-Verz. Mex. Vog., 1831, 1 (Mexico); 

 Jour, fur Orn., 1863, 55 (reprint). 



Amblycercus holosericeus Sclater, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., XI, 1886, 327 (Volcan 

 de Irazii [Rogers]). — Salvin and Godman, Biol. Centr.-Am., Aves, I, i886 r 

 446 (Costa Rican references). — Zeledon, An. Mus. Nac. de C. R., I, 1887, 

 112 (Pozo Azul de Pirris, Las Trojas, Alajuela, Jimenez). — Cherrie, Auk, 

 IX, 1892, 249 (San Jose); Expl. Zool. en C. R., 1891-2, 1893, 30 (Palmar, 

 Boruca, Buenos Aires). — Ridgway, Birds N. and Mid. Amer., II, 1902, 194 

 (southeastern Mexico through Central America to Venezuela and western 

 Ecuador). — Bangs, Auk, XXIV, 1907, 308 (Boruca and El Pozo de Terraba 

 [Underwood]). 



Amblycercus prevosti Cabanis, Jour, fur Orn., 1861, 10 (Costa Rica [Frantzius]). 

 — Lawrence, Ann. Lye. N. Y., IX, 1868, 104 (San Jose [J. Carmiol], Tur- 

 rialba [F. Carmiol]). — Frantzius, Jour, ftir Orn., 1869, 302 (San Jose, Tucur- 

 riqui, Turrialba). 



Amblycercus prevostii Cassin, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1867, 75 (monogr. ; 

 Costa Rica [Carmiol]). 



Cassicus prevosti Boucard, P. Z. S., 1878, 58 (San Jose). 



U. S. Nat. Museum: Pigres (Ridgway), Bonilla (Zeledon and Alfaro), 



San Sebastian de San Jose and Jimenez (Alfaro), La Concepcion de 



Jimenez (Cherrie), Alajuela (Alfaro). 

 Bangs Collection: Aguacate Mts., Coralillo, Pozo Azul de Pirris, El 



General (Underwood). 

 Carnegie Museum: Volcan de Irazii (8,000 feet), Cuabre, Rio Sicsola, 



Guacimo, La Hondura, El Hogar, Juan Vinas, El Pozo de Terraba, 



Boruca (Carriker). Fifteen skins. 

 (Underwood in Utt.): Achiote de Poas, Las Trojas, Alajuela, etc. 



This is one of the most widely distributed birds of Costa Rica, being 

 found at greater extremes of altitude than almost any other bird, except 

 some of the swifts. I have taken it from sea-level on both coasts up to 

 8,000 feet on the Volcan de Irazii, and while collecting on the Volcan de 

 Turrialba, I saw a pair just below timber-line in the bamboos. It is 

 found in the thickest jungle of the lowlands, in patches of wild-cane, in 

 the rank growths of "gamalote" grass along the river banks, in thickets^ 

 in pastures, in second-growth woodland, in fact in almost every conceiv- 

 able kind of cover. I have invariably seen the birds in pairs, always near 

 the ground, and when disturbed they attempt to skulk off through the 

 undergrowth. They are found in such a variety of conditions that 

 they would be a nuisance to the collector were it not for their pale pea- 

 green bill, which is always very conspicuous, identifying them at a glance- 



