NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 413 



common in collections, but of considerable variation in colors in plumages no 

 mature. Tail of moderate length, rounded at the end ; wing rather long, 

 pointed, second quill longest ; bill shorter than the head, much more slender 

 than in Quiscalus, pointed ; legs and feet rather strong ; claws slender, sharp. 



Adult male. Black, with greenish-purple lustre on the head and body, 

 especially on the under parts, wings and coverts, rump, upper and under tail 

 coverts ; abdomen and tail with green lustre. The green lustre frequently ex- 

 tends over the back or entire upper parts of the body. Plumage usually more 

 or less edged and tipped with ferruginous, especially in autumn, which fre- 

 quently is so strongly marked as to give the prevailing color. Total length y 

 to 9 inches, wing 4|, tail 4 inches. 



Female. Dark plumbeous or ashy-black ; wings and tail with green lustre. 

 Back usually with a greenish lustre ; quills usually edged with ferruginous. 

 Smaller than the male. Total length about 8 inches ; wing 4J, tail 3J inches. 



Young. Head and body dull ferruginous ; paler on the under parts ; stripe 

 over the eye pale dull ochre ; wings and tail black, with greenish lustre. 



Ilab. Eastern North America. Spec, in Mus. Acad. Philada. and Mus. 

 Smiths. Inst. Washington. 



2. Euphagus. 



2. SCOLECOPHAGUS CYANOCEPHALtTS, (Waglei - ). 



Psarocolius cyanocephalus, Wagl. Isis, 1829, p. 758. 

 Scolecophagus mexicanus, Swains. Cab. Cy. p 302 (1838). 

 Quiscalus Breweri, Aud. B. of Am., oct. ed. vii. p. 345 (1843). 



Aud. B. of Am., oct. ed. vii. pi. 492. 



This is a common species of Central and Western North America and 

 Mexico, of which numerous specimens are in the Smiths. Mus. and Acad. Mus. 



Bill shorter than the head, thick at the base, conical, pointed ; wing long, 

 pointed, second quill longest ; tail moderate, rounded ; legs and feet rather 

 slender. Tot# about 9 to 10 inches ; wing 5 to 5J, tail 4{- to 4 inches. 

 Sexes nearly of the same size. 



Adult male. Black, head only with bluish violet or purple lustre, all other 

 parts with fine green lustre ; bill and feet black. 



Female. Dull brown, with a plumbeous tinge, lighter on the head and 

 breast, and frequently tinged with rusty or dull yellowish ; back darker : tail 

 and wings generally with greenish lustre. The young of both sexes have 

 nearly the entire plumage dull rusty brown, especially the head and under 

 parts of the body, but more as a color of the plumage, as in Molotkrus, than 

 with the feathers merely edged, as in S. ferrugineus. 



Ilab. Central and Western North America, Texas, Mexico. Spec, in Mus. 

 Acad. Philada. and Mus. Smiths. Inst. Washington. 



3. Dives. 



3. Scolecophagus Dives, (Bonaparte). 



Lampropsar dives, Bonap. Consp Av. i. p. 425 (1850). 

 " L. Dives, Caban.," Bonap. ut supra. 

 Lampropsar dives, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. i. p. 194 (1851)? 

 Quiscalus Sumichrasti, De Saussere, Rev. et Mag: Zool. 1859, p. 119. 

 Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1859, pi. 3, fig. 2, 3. 



Apparently an abundant species of Mexico and Central America, of which 

 numerous specimens are in the Smiths. Mus. and Mus. Acad. 



Bill about the length of the head, straight, thick, pointed ; wing moderate or 

 rather short, third, fourth and fifth quills longest, and generally nearly equal ; 

 tail moderate, rounded ; legs and feet strong. 



Adult male. Black, with a weak greenish lustre in the entire plumage. Bill 

 and feet black. Many specimens would be regarded properly as only shining 

 black, the green lustre being scarcely perceptible. Total length 11 to 12 inches; 

 wing 5, tail 5 inches. 



1866.] * 



