BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMFRICA. 223 



or less concave terminally, straight or slightly convex in middle, 

 slightly but sometimes rather abruptly deflexed for the rictal portion; 

 mandibular tomium straight in middle portion, more or less decurved 

 or convex terminally, more or less strongly deflexed basally; median 

 palatal ridge beveled anteriorly (as in Megaquiscalus). Nostril rather 

 large, broadl}" ovoid, obtusely pointed anteriorly, posteriorly in con- 

 tact with feathering of the loral antia?, overhung by a broad and dis- 

 tinct membranous or subcorneous operculum. Wing moderate (a little 

 less to a little more than four times as long as culmen, about three and 

 one-fourth to three and three-fourths times as long as tarsus), its tip 

 moderately produced (by less than two-thirds to nearly as long as cul- 

 men), rounded; ninth (outermost) primarj^ intermediate between sixth 

 and fifth or between fifth and fourth, the eighth and seventh or 

 seventh and sixth longest; three or four outer primaries with inner 

 webs distinctly emarginated and ver}^ broad anterior to the emargina- 

 tion. Tail decidedly shorter than wing (a))out equal to distance from 

 bend of wing to end of longest secondaries), plicate (as in Qtdscalus 

 and Ji/^;^a/^?^/6'cr/Zw,§), moderately graduated (graduation less than length 

 of culmen and little, if any, more than one-fourth the length of middle 

 rectrices), the inner webs not longer than the outer. Tarsus decidedly 

 longer than culmen, its anterior scutella distinct; middle toe, with 

 claw, equal to or shorter (sometimes decidedly shorter) than tarsus; 

 lateral toes with claws falling decidedly short of base of middle claw; 

 hallux equal in length to lateral toes, much stouter, its claw decidedly 

 shorter than the digit; claws moderately to rather strongly curved, 

 acute. 



Coloration. — xVdult males entirely gloss}" black (the gloss violet or 

 bluish, more greenish on wings and tail); adult females similar to 

 males in species of the Greater Antilles, more or less diflerent (more 

 brownish, often quite pale below) in species of the Lesser Antilles and 

 northern South America. 



Range. — West Indies; northern coast of South America. 



This mainly West Indian genus, being definable by structural char- 

 acters, seems sufficientl}^ distinct from both Quiscalus and Megaquis- 

 calus to warrant its recognition. From Quiscalus it differs conspicu- 

 ously in the form of the median palatal ridge, which, instead of being 

 highest, truncate, and angular anteriorly, is slanted or beveled off 

 anteriorly and highest in the middle, as in Megaquiscalus ; straighter 

 commissure; inner webs of primaries much broader in middle portion 

 (except in South American species); the middle toe and claw as long 

 as the tarsus (in typical species) instead of decidedly shorter; l)esides 

 which the adult males are plain blue-black or violet-black, and the 

 females, in some species, very differently colored from the males. In 

 respect to the shape of the palatal ridge, the narrower bill with 

 straighter commissure, and the uniform blue or violet-black coloration 



