Species of the Family Icteridae. 155 



Similis Q. vei'sicolori, sed crassitie minore et rostro tenuiore. 



Hub. Florida. 



The only s]3eciraens of this smaller form of Quiscahs ver- 

 sicolor that I have seen have been kindly lent to me by the 

 authorities of the Smithsonian Institution. 



b. Megaquiscalus. 



Clavis specierum. 



a. Rostro valido recto : 



corpora seneo : capite et coUo purpiirascentibus . . (2) major. 

 corpore purpureo, postice in aeneum transeimte, 



crassitie maxima (3) macrurus. 



crassitie media (4) asshnilis. 



crassitie minore (5) gvmjsoni. 



b. Rostro tenui . (6) temdrostris. 



I have followed the lead of the authors of 'North- Ame- 

 rican Birds ' pretty closely as regards these Quiscali, being- 

 unable to suggest any thing better. The only well-marked 

 species is Q. tenuirostris , which is undoubtedly distinct the 

 other four being perhaps better treated of as subspecies on 

 the American plan. The differences are hardly more than 

 of size^ although Q. major may, on the whole^ be recognized 

 by its more greeny sheen, only passing into purple on the 

 head and neck. 



2. QuiSCALUS MAJOR. 



Quiscalus major, Vieill. Nouv. Diet, xxviii. p. 487 (1819), 

 et Enc. Meth. p. 900; Bp. Consp. p. 424; Sclater, P. Z. s'. 

 1859, p. 58 (Omoa) ; Baird, B. N. Am. p. 555; Scl. Cat. A. 

 B. p. 141; Dresser, Ibis, 1865, pp. 494 (Texas); Salvin, 

 Ibis, 1866, p. 194 (Belize) ; Cassin, Pr. Ac. Sc. Phil. 1866, 

 p. 409; Baird, Brew., et Ridgw. N. A. B. ii. p. 222; Lawr. 

 Mem. Boston Soc. N. H. ii. p. 281 (N.W. Mexico) ; Coues, 

 Ibis, 1870, p. 367. 



Quiscalus corvinus, Sw. An. in Menag. p. 300. 



Chalcophanes major, Cab. Mus. Hein. i. jj. 196. 

 Niger jeneo-nitens ; cajtite et cervice undique in purpureum 

 transeuntibus ; rostro et pedibus nigris : long, tota 15*0, 



