Grayson.] 282 [June 7, 



" This bird is remarkably abundant upon the Marias, where it is a 

 constant resident. It is not so numerous on the main and adjacent 

 land. 



" I was surprised to find this old and familiar acquaintance in this 

 remote region, upon the very confines of its wide-spread geograph- 

 ical distribution, where its bright red plumage, its beautiful crest of 

 crimson, its charming song, and above all its fondness for the habita- 

 tion of man, — recalled the almost forgotten associations of my ear- 

 liest boyhood days, in a far distant land." 



37. Chrysomitris mexicanus Sw. "Mexican gold-finch; 

 Canario." 



" This is another species found in the Island which is also common 

 to the main land." 



TROCmLID^. 



38. Circe latirostris (Sw.) " Shiny Green Humming Bird ; 

 Chopa-flores." 



"I found but two species of humming birds in the Islands, and 

 these were quite numerous. The present one is decked in a brilliant 

 plumage of shiny green upon the upper and lower parts, with the 

 exception of the front part of the head and chin, where the green 

 shades into an invisible dark blue — these colors in some lights give 

 forth bright metallic reflections, more beautiful than the purest eme- 

 rald; the wings are a purplish brown and considerably recurved; 

 the tail, which is moderately short, is forked, the feathers of which 

 are broad and dark ; shiny green above, with a slight obscure tip 

 of lighter color ; the crissum white, with dark invisible green marks 

 upon the under tail coverts. Bill, compressed at base ; where it is 

 orange red, both above and below, the rest black ; it is slightly curved 

 or arched, and .75 in. in length. Total length of bird 3.5 inches. 



" The nest of this lovely species, which I had the good fortune to 

 discover, is equal in interest, and as beautiful in form, as the bird 

 itself. The elegant little structure I found attached to a slender twig, 

 and shaded with its leaves, about five feet from the ground. The 

 situation was fronting the sea, but a few paces from the water's 

 edge, where the first beams of the morning sun dissolved the dews. 

 Its form is cup-shaped, and composed of the down of the silk cotton 

 tree (Erioclendron), intermingled with the down of other plants and 

 spider webs, the whole exterior neatly studded with diminutive whit- 



