QUISCALUS. 483 
nigris. Long. tota 17-0, ale 8-0, cauds rect. med. 9-0, rect. lat. 5°3, rostri a rictu 1:8, tarsi 2-0. (Deser. 
maris ex Choctum, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 
© fusca eneo tincta; alis et cauda dorso concoloribus ; subtus brunnea, ventre imo et crisso nigricantibus, 
Long. tota 14-3, ale 6-0, caudex rect. med. 6-0, rect. lat. 4-0, rostri a rictu 1:4, tarsi 1-6. (Descr. feminz 
ex Duefas, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. Nortu America, Texas.—Mexico? 25, Manzanilla Bay, Plains of Colima (Xantus °°), 
Guadalajara (Grayson *°), Real del Monte !, valley of Mexico ® (White), temperate 
and alpine regions of Vera Cruz (Sumichrast 14), Cordova (Sallé3), valley of 
Cuernavaca (le Strange), Orizaba (Botteri*), Oaxaca (Fenochio’), Barrio, Juchitan 
(Sumichrast '*), Merida in Yucatan (Gawmer ?°), Cozumel I. (Benedict 21, Gaumer) ; 
British Honpuras, Belize (Blancaneaux), Half-Moon Cay (0. S.2°); GuaTEMALA 
(Constancia 1°), everywhere about houses and villages (0. 8S. & F. D. G.), San José 
de Guatemala, Escuintla, Duefias ®, Guatemala city, San Gerénimo, Choctum 7, &e. 
(0. 8S. & 2. D.G.); Honpouras, San Pedro (G. M. Whitely °), Comayagua (Taylor 4 1), 
Omoa (Leyland **); Nicaracua, Greytown (Holland ™), Sucuya 17, Los Sabalos 19, 
Omotepé 1.13 (Nutting); Costa Rica (Eilendorf??); Panama, Calobre, Calovevora 
(Arcé**), Lion Hill Station (M/‘Leannan !)—Cotoms1a23 %4 ; Perv 31 37, 
The birds inhabiting the more southern portion of the range of this species (that is 
to say, from the State of Panama to Western Peru) have been separated, on account of 
their smaller size, from the more northern birds; but on closely comparing the two we 
find that, though the average dimensions of the northern bird are greater than those of 
the southern, no definite separation can be made between them with any regard to their 
geographical distribution. It will also be seen that the range of the species, as a whole, 
is practically uninterrupted from Texas to Peru. The bird of Western Mexico, which 
Mr. Sclater has recently separated under the name of Quiscalus graysoni, also rests on 
its much smaller dimensions; but as we have no materials to prove that gradations in 
size exist between the two we here treat it as distinct, although we should not be surprised 
to find that it too is but an extreme form of the true Q. macrurus. 
The northern range of this species extends into Texas, where it breeds, and whence 
it spreads over the greater part of Mexico, to the exclusion perhaps of the north-western 
portion; it is also found throughout Central America, where it frequents the larger 
towns as well as villages, its favourite resort being the stable, occasionally perching on 
the backs of the horses and mules, or invading the manger and picking up stray grains 
of maize. It breeds in numbers near Duefias, making its nest both in the willows that 
grow near the lake and in the reeds on its banks. The breeding season extends over 
some time; the young birds and eggs were found in adjacent nests, and on the coast- 
region young birds were seen able to fly in the early part of March. The nest is usually 
made of grass and placed amongst upright branches, the grass being entwined round 
each twig to support the structure. The eggs vary a good deal in their ground-colour, 
some being greyish white, others light drab, and others again of a deep drab; the 
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