NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 



135 



successive bands on the feathers over the whole body, pi-oducing a peculiar 

 iridescent effect. In the Q. xneus nothing of this character is seen ; for, 

 among a large series of western specimens, not one has the body other 

 than continuous bronze, the head and neck alone being green or blue, and 

 this sharply and abruptly defined against the very different tint of the other 

 portions. These colors of course have there extremes of variation, but the 

 change is only in the shade of the metallic tints, the precise pattern being 

 strictly retained. In the present species the colors are more vivid and silky 

 than in the eastern, and tiie bird is in fact a much handsomer one. 



QniscALus AGLyEus, Baird. 



Quiscalus baritus, Baird, B. N. A. 1838, 556, pi. 32, not of Lesson. — Quiscalus 

 afflseus, Baird, Am. Jour. 1866, 84— Cassin, Pr. A. N. S. 1866, 404. 



Fig. 3. 



Sp. cA— Length 11-00, wing 5-20, tail 5-12, culmen 1-24, tarsus 1-28. Sec- 

 ond and third quills equal and longest; first shorter than fourth ; projection 

 of primaries beyond secondaries 1-12; graduation of tail 1-00. 



Bill very slender and elongated, the tip of upper mandible abruptly de- 

 curved ; commissure very reguhir. 



Metallic tints very dark. Head and neck all round well defined violaceous 

 steel blue, the head most blueish ; body soft dull bronzy greenish black, 

 scarcely lustrous; wings, upper tail coverts and tail blackish steel blue, the 

 wing coverts tipped with vivid violet bronze ; belly and crissum glossed with 

 blue. 



Hab.—Sonth. Florida. 



This species is quite well marked, differing from the two preceding in much 

 smaller size, with more slender and more decurved bill. 



The arrangement of the colors is much as in the larger western species, 

 while the tints are most liice those of the eastern. All the colors are, how- 

 ever, darker, but at the same time softer than in either of the others. 



In form this species approaches nearest the western, agreeing with it in the 

 primaries, slender bill, and more graduated tail, and, indeed, its relations, in 

 every respect, appear to be with this rather than the eastern. 



10311 



July Gth. 

 The President, Dr. Hays, in the Chair. 

 Ten members present. 



July ISth. 

 Dr. Bridges in the Chair. 

 Twelve members present. 

 869.] 



