Grayson.] 280 [June 7, 



"The colors of the upper parts are dark plumbeous, inclining to 

 dark brownish or nearly black on the tail. The top of the head with 

 a broad, rather flattened crest, is black, shading into brownish on the 

 forehead. The lower part bluish gray, slightly tinged with brown- 

 ish on the abdomen and crissum ; chin ashy white ; upon the throat 

 and fore part of breast, is a broad patch of bright carmine or rose 

 color, a distinguishing contrast to the otherwise rather dull plumage. 

 The wings are dark brown, edged externally with plumbeous. The" 

 bill is nearly black above or very dark brown, the under mandible, 

 bluish horn color; feet, bluish grey, nails, bluish grey; iris dark 

 brown." 



"S Total length, 6.60; alar ext., 11 in.; tail, 2.75; second, third 

 and fourth quills longest. Body robust; head, large; bill, strong, 

 slightly decurved, and rather compressed towards the tip. 



" The colors of the female are different, the entire under parts are 

 of a pale brown or rather buff color, an obscure band of the same 

 passes entirely around the neck, posterior to the nape ; the forehead 

 is tinged with the same hue. The top of the head and back is a dull 

 brown, with a plumbeous tinge ; tail, brown ; wings, reddish brown ; 

 the crest is as broad, but shorter than that of the male, and of a 

 darker plumbeous brown than the back." 



Specimens from the Tres Marias agree closely in color and dimen- 

 sions with specimens from Jalapa, being somewhat smaller than ex- 

 amples from some other parts of Mexico. 



ICTERIDJE. 



33. Icterus graysoni Cassin. "The Tres Marias Oriole ; Cal- 

 andria." 



"This superb oriole is one of the most beautiful of its kind, and is 

 entirely confined to the Islands of the Tres Marias, where it is the 

 only representative of its genus. 



"There is a closely allied variety on the main coast (Icterus pustu- 

 latus) but in comparing the two, the difference in the markings is at 

 once observable, as also the larger size of the Island bird. The Tres 

 Marias oriole proves to be a new and interesting species to be added 

 to the already long list of the Icteridce at present known. 



"The nest of this oriole, like all of its congeners, is pensile ; gener- 

 ally suspended from the extreme end of a slender, decumbent branch 

 or twig, in some shady spot, where it may swing to and fro by the 

 breeze free from entanglement with other branches. The nest, which 



