406 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



Adult male. Black, head and body with dark purple lustre, uniform above 

 and below, and frequently changing to greenish on the rump, upper tail coverts 

 and abdomen. Wings and tail above with green lustre ; bill and feet black 

 (with a brownish tinge in dried specimens). Total length about 12 to 12 

 inches, wings 6, tail 5 inches. 



Adult female. Similar to the male in color and general lustres of plumage 

 but usually with the latter more tinged with green. Much smaller than the 

 male, total length about 10 inches, wing 5, tail 4| inches. 



Habitat. Jamaica. Spec, in Mus. Acad., Philada., and Mus. Smith. Inst., 

 Washington. 



4. Quiscalus Gundlachii, nobis. 



" Quiscalus barytus, Vieill," D'Orbigny, De Sagras Cuba, Ois. p. 120. 

 " Chalcophanes Baritus, Wagl." Gundlach, Cab. Jour. 1856, p. 15. 



De Sagra's Cuba, Aves, pi. IS. 



Numerous specimens in the Smiths. Mus. and in the Acad. Mus., exclusively 

 from Cuba. This species is but little smaller than the preceding, the bill is 

 more slender and more gradually pointed and the tail seems to be compara- 

 tively longer. The color of the head and body in the Cuba bird presents a 

 more decided purple or violet lustre than in that of Jamaica, and the under 

 parts have a fine golden purple lustre quite wanting in the species of that 

 Island. 



Similar in form and general lustres of plumage to the immediately preced- 

 ing, but rather smaller; bill more pointed and more gradually tapering ; tail 

 comparatively longer. Bill longer than the head, gradually curved and pointed ; 

 wing moderate with the third and fourth quills usually longest, but frequently 

 about the same length as the second ; tail rather long, graduated, the feathers 

 wide ; legs and feet strong ; claws curved, sharp. Total length about 1 1 J to 12 

 inches, wing about 6, tail 5| to 6]- inches. 



Adult male. Black, head and body above with a fine purple or violet lustre ; 

 under parts with a fine golden purple lustre ; wings and tail above with a green 

 lustre ; smaller wing coverts purple changing to greenish ; tibia? and under 

 tail coverts greenish ; bill and feet black, 



Female. Smaller. The specimens now under examination are not sufficient 

 to be reliable in either the lustres of the plumage or dimensions in the female. 

 Those which I regard as females are very similar to the males in lustres of 

 plumage, and there does not appear to be so much difference in the sizes of the 

 two sexes as in the species of Jamaica. 



Hub. Cuba. Spec, in Mus. Acad., Philadelphia, and Mus. Smiths. Inst., 

 Washington. 



It is with great gratification that I name this species in testimony of my 

 high estimation of Dr. John Gundlach. a most excellent and accurate natural- 

 ist, who has with great ability studied and made known especially the orni- 

 thology of the Island of Cuba. The researches of this gentleman have in fact- 

 been of the greatest value in the Natural History of that Island. 



5. Quiscalus brachypterus, nobis. 



Numerous specimens in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution from 

 Porto Rico. 



This species resembles those from the Islands of Jamaica and Cuba, Q. 

 baritus, ( x >. Gundlachii, especially the latter, but is smaller, with the bill more 

 slender; the tail shorter, and the wing disproportionately shorter. The last 

 character is the most immediately available in distinguishing from either of 

 those species. This bird is larger than cither of the succeeding in this memoir. 



Bill about the length of the head, gradually tapering and curved at the tip; 

 wing short, third and fourth quills longest; tail moderate or rather long ; legs 

 and feet strong. 



Adult male. Black, the entire plumage of the head and body with a dark 

 purple and violet lustre ; wings and tail above frequently with a pale greenish 



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ec. 



