of the District of Montreal. 291 



Genus Quiscalus. 



Gen. char. Bill moderately long, compressed, entire, with sharp 

 and inflected edges ; upper mandible projecting over the lower, 

 and extended backwards on the forehead; nostrils oval, half 

 closed by a membrane ; outer and middle toe connected at the 

 base ; 2nd and 3rd primaries longest ; tail more or less rounded. 



Q. versicolor. Purple Grackle. 

 Gracula quiscala. 

 Quiscalus versicolor, Baird ! 

 v.s.p. Bill, legs and feet black; irides white; eggs 5 to 6 

 dull green, blotched and spotted with dark olive. 



Dorsal and ventral aspects. Black, with a purple or steel blue 

 iridescence on the head and neck ; bronze on the belly and back, 

 and bronze and violet on the greater wing coverts and secon- 

 daries ; primaries black without iridescence ; tail rounded almost 

 cuneiform, with steel blue reflections. 



3rd primary longest; 1st, 2nd, and 4th subequal. Length 12 

 inches ; alar breadth 17§ inches. Female less brilliant than the 

 male. 



Q. baritus. Common Blackbird. 

 Gracula barita of Linnaeus ! 

 Oriolus niger of Gmelin. 

 Qniscalus baritus, Baird ! 



v.s.p. Bill, legs and feet black; irides black; eggs 5, dark 

 coloured S2)0tted with dusky. 



Dorsal and ventral aspects. Deep black, with a faint steel blue 

 iridescence, inclining to green about the wings ; feathers generally 

 faintly tippe({ with brownish ; tail nearly square ; lateral feathers 

 on each side shortest ; J inch shorter than the centre ones. 



2nd primary longest; 1st next. Length 9 inches; alar ex- 

 panse 14j inches. According to Nuttal the female is dull brown- 

 ish, with the eyebrows and ventral aspect whitish. 



Q.ferrugineus. Rusty Grackle. 

 Gracula ferruginea of Wilson. 

 Scoleophagus ferrugineus ^ Baird ! 



V.8.P. Legs, bill and feet black ; irides white ; eggs 5, dusky 

 spotted with black. 



Dorsal and ventral aspects. Glossy black, with ferruginous 

 tips to the feathers ; head and neck iridescent with dark green. 



