222 XOUTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Habits. This race or species seems to be coufined exclusively to the penin- 

 sula of Florida. We liave no notes as to any of its peculiarities, nor do we 

 know that it exhibits any differences of manners or habits from those of its 

 more northern relatives. 



Of its eggs 1 have seen but few specimens. These do not exhibit niudi 

 variation. The ground-color shades from a Light drab to one with a greenisli 

 tinge. They average 1.17 inches in lengtli by .85 in breadth, aie more ob- 

 long in sliape, and are very strikingly marked with characters in black and 

 dark brown, resembling Arabic and Turkisli letters. 



,\ 



Quiscalus major, Vieill. ^ ^^ 



BOAT-TAILED GRAKLE ; JACKDAW. T 



Granila harila, WiLscix, Iiulex Am. Orn. VI, 1812 (not of LiXXJius). Oracula guiscala. 

 Ord. J. A. N. Sc. I, 1S18, 253 (not of Linx-eus). Quisadus major, Vieillot, Nouv. 

 Diet. XXVIII, 1819, 487. — Box. Am. Orn. I, 1825, 35, pi. iv. — Id. List, 1838.- 

 Ib. Consp. 1850, 424. — AuD. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 504; V, 1S3S, 480, pi. cl.\.\xvii, 

 Ib. Syn. 1839, 146. — Ib. Birds Am. IV, 1842, 52, pi. ccx.x. — B.A.IRD, Birds N. Am. 

 1858, 555. — Cassin, Pr. A. K. S. 1867, 409. — Allex, B. E. Fla. 295. — CouES, 

 Ibis, N. S. IV, No. 23, 1870, 367 (Biography). Clialcopluincs majar, "Temm." C.-vb. 

 Mus. Heiu. 1851, 196. 



Sp. Char. (1,5G3.) Form r.ather lengthened, but robu.';t ; bill strong, about the length of 

 head ; wing rather long, second and third quills usually longest, though the fir.'st four 

 quills are frequently nearly eqn.il ; tail long, graduated; lateral feathers aljout 2. .50 inches 

 shorter than the central ; legs and feet strong. 



Adult male. Black; head and neck with a fine purple lustre, rather abruptly defined 

 on the lower part of the neck behind, and succeeded by a fine green lustre which passes 

 into a purple or steel-blue on the lower back and upper tail-coverts. On the under parts 

 the purple lustre of the head and neck passes more gradually into green on the abdomen ; 

 under tail-coverts usually purplish-lilue, frequently pl.iin black. Sm.aller wing-coverts 

 with green lustre; larger coverts greeni.sh-bronze ; quills frequently plain black, with a 

 greenish or bronzed edging and slight lustre. Tail usually with a slight bluish or greenish 

 lustre, frequently plain black. Bill and feet black. Iris yellow. Total length about 15 

 inches ; wing, 7.00 ; tail, 6.50 to 7.00. 



on the foruni-'ck, and with this color aliriiptly defined posterioi'ly against the peculiar uniform 

 blackish dull green of the body ; the wing-coverts usually tipped with vivid violet and green 

 spots. One male is a typical example of the var. purpiircim, distinguished by tlie blending of 

 the similar metallic tints on the body and head, the broken tints on the body arranged in 

 transverse bars on the back, more purple tail-coverts, and lack of the vivid metallic tips to tlie 

 wing-coverts. There are also four nearly typical specimens of the var. aglceus, these probably 

 from farther south on the peninsula, but with the characteristics of the race le.ss exaggerated 

 than in the types from the keys. The measurements of this series are as follows : — 



Var. jntrpurcus (one specimen). ,J; ^Ving, 5.30 ; tail, 4.65 ; cuhnen, 1.38. 



Intermediate specimens. Typical aglceus in colors, but like purpureas in size. (16 m.iles, 

 and 17 females), g. Wing, 4.85 to 5.50 ; tail, 4.60 to 5.50 ; cuhnen, 1.25 to 1.50. ?. Wing, 

 4.65 to 4.90 ; tail, 3.80 to 4.50 ; cuhnen, 1.10 to 1.30. 



Var. cujlcuus (four specimens). (J. "Wing, 5.30 to 5.60 ; tail, 5.00 to 5.30 ; cuhnen, 1.3S to 

 1.40. 



