BIEDS OF NOETH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 245 



arched basallj^, straight or faintly depressed in middle, rather dis- 

 tinctly ridg-ed (more flattened in S. ct/a/uu'ephalus); gonys nearly or 

 quite straight, slightly shorter than maxilla from nostril; commissure 

 nearly straight for most of its length, more or less decurved termi- 

 nally, more or less concave subbasally, then gradually deflexed to the 

 rictus. Nostril longitudinal, more or less triangular, or slit-like, 

 overhung by a broad and slightly convex membranous operculum, its 

 posterior end in contact with feathering of frontal antise. Wing long 

 (between five and six times as long as culmen), with tip well produced 

 (projecting one and a half times to nearly twice the length of the cul- 

 men), pointed; outermost (ninth) primary intermediate between seventh 

 and sixth or sixth and fifth, the eighth, seventh, or sixth longest (these 

 three sometimes equal); inner webs of three outer primaries very 

 faintly sinuated near ends. Tail not plicate, more than three-fourths to 

 more than four-fifths as long as wing, slightly but decidedly rounded, 

 the rectrices rather broad and with rounded tips. Tarsus much longer 

 than culmen, less than one-fourth as long as wing, rather slender, its 

 anterior scutella distinct on inner side, less so on outer; middle toe, 

 with claw, shorter than tarsus; claw of outer toe falling short of 

 base of middle claw, the inner slightly shorter; hallux decidedly 

 shorter than lateral toes, but much stouter, its claw decidedly shorter 

 than the digit. 



.Coloratio)!.— Adult males entirely black, more or less glossy, the 

 iris white or pale yellow; adult females and young grayish brown or 

 dull slaty; one species with both sexes more or less varied with rusty 

 in autumn and winter, especially younger birds. 



Range. — North America. (Two species.) 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF SCOLECOPHAGUS. 



a. Plumage black, more or less glossed with green, etc. (Adult males.) 



h. Bill slender, its depth at base much less than half the lateral length of mandible; 

 plumage very faintly glossed with green, the head and neck still more faintly 

 glossed with bluish. (Winter iilumage more or less obscured by deep rusty 

 or chestnut al)ove, cinnamon-buff y beneath.) (Northern and eastern North 



America.) Scolecophagus carolinus, adult male (p. 246) 



hh. Bill stouter, its depth at base nearly equal to half the lateral length of mandible; 

 plumage strongly glossed with green, changing to violet on head and neck. 

 (Winter plumage faintly varied with grayish brown above. ) (Western and 

 southwestern North America.) 



Scolecophagus cyanocephalus, adult male (p. 248) 

 aa. Plumage grayish (sometimes more or less varied with rusty and cinnamon- 

 buffy). (Adult females and young. ) 

 }). Bill slender, etc. 

 c. Plumage dull slate color (in winter more or less overspread above by deep 

 rusty, beneath by cinnamon-buffy). 



Scolecophagus carolinus, adult female (p. 246) 

 cr. Plumage brownish gray (without rusty, etc., in winter). 



Scolecophagus carolinus, young (p. 246) 

 Scolecophagus cyanocephalus, adult female and young (p 249) 



