In America the Icteridæ play an important part, numbering some 130 species, and extending throughout the two continents from north to south. Of these, 15 species occur in Argentina, and amongst them are three species of Cow-bird (Molothrus), remarkable for their parasitic habits, of which Hudson’s observations have enabled him to give a full and, for the first time, a tolerably complete account.
[93.] AMBLYCERCUS SOLITARIUS (Vieill.).
(SOLITARY CASSIQUE.)
Cassicus solitarius, Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 36; Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl. viii. p. 133 (Entrerios); Scl. Cat. B. p. 326.
Description.—Uniform black; bill white; feet black: total length 11 inches, wings 4·8, tail 4·5. Female similar, but smaller.
Hab. Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Northern Argentina.
Mr. Barrows obtained a single specimen of this species at Concepcion, and others were seen. It was said to be an excellent song-bird, and to be more abundant further up the Uruguay River.
[94.] MOLOTHRUS BONARIENSIS (Gm.).
(ARGENTINE COW-BIRD.)
Molothrus bonariensis, Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 37; Hudson, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 809, 1874, p. 153 (Buenos Ayres); Durnford, Ibis, 1877, pp. 33, 174 (Chupat); White, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 601 (Buenos Ayres); Döring, Exp. al Rio Negro, Zool. p. 41 ([Carhué]); Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl. viii. p. 133 (Entrerios); Scl. Cat. B. xi. p. 335. Molothrus sericeus, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 494.