2G. QUISCALTJS. 393 



3. Dives atroviolaceus. 



Quiscalus atroviolaceus, (TOrb. in La tiayru's Cula, Ois. p. 9o, f. 19. 

 Scaphidurus atroTiolaceus, Gray, Gen. B. ii. p. 341 ; Bp. Con»p. i. 



p. 426. 

 Scolecophafrus atroviolaceus, Cab. Mus. Hein. i. p. 19B ; Cassin, Pr. 



Ac. Sc. Phil. 1866, p. 414; Gimdl J.f. 0. 1874, p. 134 (Cuba). 

 Dives atroviolaceus, Scl. Ibis, 1884, p. 1-j2. 



Uniform black, ■with strong purplish tinge, except on wings and 

 tail : -whole length 9-5 inches, wing 4'9, tail 4. Female similar, 

 but smaller and not so bright. 



Hah. Cuba. 



a. Ad. sk. San Cristobal, Cuba. Sclater Coll. 



b, c. Ad. sk. Cuba. Salvin-Godmau Coll. 



26. aUISCALUS. 



Type. 



Quiscalus, Vieill. Atuih/se, p. 30 (1816) Q. versicolor. 



Quiscala, Lichf. Doubl. p. 18 (1823) Q. versicolor. 



Scapbidurus, Sio. Phil. Mag. n. s. i. p. 437 (1827) .... Q. teniurostris. 

 Chalcophanus, Wac/ler, Syst. Av. {sub Gracula) (1827) Q. versicolor. 

 Holoquiscalus, Cassi7i, Pr. Ac. Sc. Phil. 1866, p. 404. . Q. crassirostris. 

 Megaquiscalus, Cassin, op. cit. p. 409 Q. major. 



This very difficult series of birds, commonly classed as " Quiscalus^' 

 are here arranged under the subgeneric heads Quiscalus, Megaquis- 

 ealvs, and Boloquiscahis, as suggested by Cassin, and adopted by 

 Messrs. Baird, Brewer, and Eidgway. 



Range. North and Central America, and Antilles, with adjoining 

 portion of South America. 



Key to the Sjiecies. 



A. Size medium. Sexes nearly similar. 

 Lateral tail-feathers about three-fourths 



the length of central. (Quiscalus.) . . 1. versicolor, p. 394. 



B. Size large. Sexes dissimilar. Lateral tail- 



feathers about six-tenths of the central 

 or less. (Megaquiscalus.) 



a. Bill robust ; culmen strongly deciu-ved 



terminally. 

 a'. Lustre of plumage green ; head and 



neck purplish 2. major, p. .395. 



V . Lustre of plumage purplish : passing 

 posteriorly into greenish : 



i of larger size 3. macrnrns, p. .396. 



of medium size 4. assimilis, p. 396. 



' of smaller size 5. yraysoni, p. 397. 



b. Bill slender, scarcely decurved ter- 



minally 6. temiirostris, p. 397 



