134 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



pi. vii ; Birds Amer. iv, pi. 221, (figure 



purest anteriorly, becomiug more violet on the neck. On other portions of the 

 body the blue and violet forming an iridescent zone on each feather, the blue 

 first, the violet terminal ; sometimes the head is similarly marked. On the 

 abdomen the blue generally predominating, on the rump the violet ; -wings 

 and tail black, with violet reflection, more blueish on the latter; the wing 

 coverts frequently tipped with steel blue or violet. Bill, tarsi and toes pure 

 black ; iris sulphur yellow. 



Hab. Atlantic and Gulf? States, north to Nova Scotia, west to the AUe- 

 ghanies. 



This species is more liable to variation than any other ; the arrangement 

 of the metallic tints varies with the individual; there is never, however, an 

 approach to the sharp definition and symmetrical pattern of coloration char- 

 acteristic of the western species. One specimen (No. 31049, Washington," 

 D. C.) is wonderfully similar, in the darkness and distribution of tints, to the 

 Q. ag/seus, Bd., but resembles this in these respects only. 



Wilson's figure conveys a good idea of this spcies ; Audubon represents the 

 western style, although his description is of the eastern. 



The exact name of this species is a matter of some question. It is undoubt- 

 edly the Gracula quiscala of Linnajus, as based on the purple jackdaw of 

 Catesby, which, although generally considered as the same with the common 

 crow blackbird of the northern States, is more like major. The Gracula pur- 

 purea of Bartram from Florida, again, though excluding major, may include 

 aglecus. Q. versicolor, of Vieillot, embraces various West Indian species, though 

 essentially belonging to the crow blackbird. On the whole, for the present, 

 at least, I will follow Mr. Cassin in retaining Bartram's name oi purpureus. 



QciscALUs ^NEDS, Ridgway. 



Quiscalus versicolor, Aud., Orn. Bio| 

 but not description). 



Fig. 2. 



Sp. ch. Length 12-50 to 13-50, wing 6-00, tail G-00, culmen 1-26, tarsus 



1-32. Third and fourth 

 quills longest and equal ; 

 first shorter than fifth ; 

 projection of primaries 

 beyond secondaries 1-28; 

 graduation of tail 1-48. 



Metallic tints rich, deep 

 and uniform. Head and 

 neck all round rich silky 

 steel blue, this strictly 

 confined to these por- 

 466*3 . ' tions, and abruptly de- 



fined behind, varying in shade from an intense Prussian blue to brassy green- 

 ish, thelatter tint always, when present, most apparent on the neck, the head 

 always more violaceous ; lores velvety black. Entire body, above and below, 

 uniform continuous metallic brassy olive, varying to burnished golden olivace- 

 ous bronze, becoming gradually uniform metallic purplish or reddish violet on 

 wings and tail, the last most purplish ; primaries violet black ; bill, tarsi and 

 toes pure black ; iris sulphur yellow. 



Habitat. — Mississippi region of U. S., east to Alleghany Mts., west to Ft. 

 Bridger; Saskatchewan Country, Hudson's Bay Territory, Labrador aud Maine 

 (52382, Calais, Me. G. A. Boardman). 



This species may be readily distinguished from the preceding by the color 

 alone, independently of the differences of proportions. 



The impression received from a casual notice of a specimen of the Q. pur- 

 pureus is that of a uniformly glossy black bird, the metallic tints being much 

 broken or irregularly distributed, being frequently or generally arranged in 



[June, 



