292 BULLETIN OF THE 



Quiscalus purpureus Cassin, Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., 1866, 403. — Ridg- 



way, Ibid., 1869, 133. 

 Quiscalus purpuratus Swain., Lardner's Cab. Cyclop., 299, 1838 (female). 

 ? Quiscalus Iwjubris Swain., Lardner's Cab. Cyclop., 299, 1838. — ? Cassin, 



Proc. Phil. Acad Nat. Sci., 1866, 408. 

 Quiscalus inflexirostris Swain., Lardner's Cab. Cyclop., 300, 1838. — Cassin, 



Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., 1866, 407. 

 Quiscalus crassirostris Swain., Lardner's Cab. Cyclop., 355, 1838. — Gosse, 



Birds of Jamaica, 217, 1847. 

 Quiscalus aghtus Baird, Amcr. Journ. Sci. and Arts, XLI, 87, 1866. — Cassin, 



Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., 1866, 404. — Ridgway, Ibid., 1869, 135. 

 Quiscalus aneus Ridgway, Ibid., 134. 

 Quiscalus mexicanus Cassin, Ibid., 1866, 408. 

 Quiscalus Gundlachii Cassin, Ibid., 406. 

 Quiscalus brachypterus Cassin, Ibid., 406. 

 Quiscalus niger Cassin, Ibid., 407. 

 ? Quiscalus rectirostns Cassin, Ibid., 409. 

 Chalcophanes quiscalus Wagler, Syst. Avium, 1827. — Cabanis, Mus. Hein., 



197, 1851. 

 Chalcophanes baritus Wagler, Syst. Avium, 1827. — Cabanis, Mus. Hein.,. 



197, 1851 



Very abundant everywhere. Flocks containing many hundreds were 

 frequently met with. 



As already remarked in Part III, few species present such marked 

 climatic variations as the present, or better illustrate the three prin- 

 cipal laws of geographical variation already enumerated ; namely, a de- 

 crease in general size from the north southward, and at the same time 

 an increase in the length and slenderness of the 'bill, and an increase 

 in the intensity and brilliancy of the color of the plumage. Far to the 

 north, as in Labrador, the colder parts of Canada, and Northern New Eng- 

 land, the bill is shortest and thickest, the size of the bird at its maximum, 

 and the colors of the plumage least brilliant, with the metallic reflections 

 of a light tint, tending to green rather than to blue. In Southern New 

 Jersey the change from the northern type is already considerable ; even 

 between summer specimens from Calais (Maine) and Eastern Massachu- 

 setts there is an appreciable difference. In the lowlands of South Caro- 

 lina and Georgia the divergence from the northern type is still greater, 

 and it goes on rapidly increasing in Florida, especially in South Florida, 

 the maximum of divergence from the northern type being attained in the 

 West Indies. In East Florida, while the general size of the bird is less than 

 in New England, the bill is considerably longer, much slenderer and much 

 more decurved, as is shown by the accompanying figures (Plate VII). The 



