412 SYSTEM A TIC SYNOPSIS. — PA SSEPES — OSCINES. 



shade on back, wings, and tail; more slaty-blackish below. Fore parts of body above, head 

 and most under parts overlaid with brownish-gray, lightest on head and throat, never rich 

 rusty-brown. No light superciliary line. Iris brown. There is thus much less sexual difl'er- 

 ence than in S. ferrugineus. Smaller; size about that of ^ ferrugineus ; length 9.00-9.30; 

 extent 14.50-15.50; wing l.SO-i.QO, etc. Young $ resembling 9; soon, however, showing 

 more lustre, overcast with grayish (not rusty) brown, in same style as ferrugineus, \m\ differ- 

 ent shade. Western U. S., and adjoining British Provinces; E. to eastern edge of the plains, 

 overlapping the migratory range of S. ferrugineus; W. to the Pacific. Breeds nearly through- 

 out its range, in suitable places ; migratory to and from extremes of its range. Nest and eggs 

 substantially the sauie as those of S. ferrugineus. 

 105. QUIS'CALUS. (Span, quisqiiilla, hat. quisquillice? Fo.i; i!yrtr&., of uncertain meaning and 

 ai)iilication. See Coues, Check List, 2d ed., p. 64.) Crow Blackbirds. Bill about as long 

 as head, quite cultrate and crow-like, but more attenuate and acute, with deflected cutting 

 edges ; upper and under outlines straiglitish to the terminal curve of culmen, but variable ; 

 commissure variously sinuate. Wings relatively shorter and less acute than in Scolecophagus, 

 usually pointed by the 2d-4th quills, 1st and 5th shorter. Tail of varying development with 

 the species ; at its greatest, much longer than wings, at its least decidedly shorter ; always 

 graduated, the lateral feathers 1-3 inches shoiler than the middle pair, in life capable of 

 slanting upward on each side, so that the middle feathers make a keel below ; whence the name 

 "boat-tail." (Tail usually described as "longer than wings" in Quiscalus; but in most 

 species it is decidedly shorter.) Feet stout ; tarsus about equal to middle toe and claw. The 

 <J (J in all the species " black," but so magnificently iridescent that little dead black is seen, 

 being brassy, steel-blue, violet, purple, greenish, etc. 9 subsimilar, or plain brown. 



Analysis of Species and Varieties. 



Tail decidedly shorter than wings, graduated 1.00-1.50. Sexes subsimilar. 



Iridescence various — green, blue, purple, violet, cf usualh' over 12.00 purpnreus 335 



Iridescence of back brassy ; head steel-blue, ^f usually over 12.00 (eneus 336 



Iridescence greenish, neck purple, (f usually under 12.00 aijheus 337 



Tail about equal to wings, graduated about 2.50. Sexes very different. $ brown major 334 



Tail decidedly longer than wings, graduated 2.50-3.50. Sexes very different $ brown . . macrurus 333 



333. Q. macru'rus. (Gr. fiaKpos, macros, long, large ; ovpa, oura, tail.) Fan-tailed Crow 

 Blackbird. Texas Grackle. Of largest size, with longest, most keeled and graduated 

 tail. Sexes very unlike. Bill very stout at base, tapering to the strongly deflected tip. 

 Adult $ : Iridescence chiefly purplish and violet, more greenish posteriorly. Length about 

 18.00; extent 23.00-24.00 ; wing 7-50-8.00; tail about 9.00, graduated 2.50-3.50; bill 1.75. 

 Adult 9 • Dark brown; paler, grayish or whitish below. Length 13.00-14.00; extent 18.00- 

 19.00 ; wing 5.50-6.00 ; tail little more. The species probably shades into the next, but pre- 

 sents dimensions the latter has not shown. Lower Bio Grande of Texas and southward, very 

 abundant, swarming in the towns, where conspicuous by its curious antics as well as great size 

 and numbers. Breeds in colonies, either in reedy marshes, when the nest is jjlaced in the 

 rushes over water, or anywhere about the settlements in trees away from water ; sometimes 

 there are many nests in one tree ; some nests at an altitude of 30 or 40 feet. Nests built of auy 

 trash, usually with mud. Eggs in April-May, usually 3, 1.12-1.45 by 0.82-0.95, averaging 

 1.25 X 0.S5 ; greenish or purplish -white, clouded oftener over smaller end than at the other, 

 irregularly spotted, veined, and scratched with dark browns and blackish. 



334. Q. ma'jor. (Lat. major, greater (than Q. purpureus).) Boat-tailed Crow Blackbird. 

 Boat-tailed Grackle. JACKDA^v. Of large size, with long, much keeled and graduated 

 tail. Sexes very unlike. Bill stout at base, tapering to the deflected tip. Adult ^ : Irides- 

 cence mostly green, becoming purple or violet chiefly on the head and neck. Length 15.50- 

 17.00, average 16.50; extent 21.00-23.50, average 22.50; wing and tail, each, 6.25-7.-25. 



