QUISCALVS. 379 



in icinier : Much washed or overlaid bj- rust}- on upper and bulTy on lower 

 pans. Young : •'Similar to winter female, hut colors duller and more uni- 

 form, and texture of plumage looser. Length 8.20-9.75, wing 4.25-4.75, tail 

 3.G5-4.20. Eijijs .98 X ■'*^- JIal>- Eastern and northern North America, west 

 to Bering's Sea and Great Plains ; breeding from northern United States 



northward 5011. S. carolinus (Muli..). Rusty Blackbird. 



11 stout, its depth through base nearly- equal to half the lateral length of 

 lower mandible. Adult male in summer : Uniform glossy greenish black, the 

 head and neck glossy violet-black. Adult male in winter: Similar to sum- 

 mer ])lumage, but head, neck, back, and breast more or less — generally very 

 slightl}- — obscured by grayish brown tips to feathers. Adult female : Uni- 

 form brownish slate, more brownish antcriorlj', posterioi-l\- more slaty, and 

 with a soft, silky gloss. Length 8.75-10.25, wing 4.65-5.25, tail 3.85-4.50. 

 Eijijs 1.00 X -TS. Hab. Western North America, east to Great Plains (occa- 

 sionally to Illinois, etc.), north to the Saskatchewan, south to table-lands of 

 Mexico 510. S. cyanocephalus (Wagl.). Brewer's Blackbird. 



Gems QUISCALUS Vieillot. (Page 366, pi. CIIL, figs. 1, 2.) 



Species. 



Co.MMON Characters. — Adult males : Uniform glossy blackish, often with varied 

 metallic hues. Adult females : Decidedly smaller than males, the colors duller 

 (sometimes markeiUy different). 



(?'. Tail not decidedly longer than wing (usuallj- decidedly shorter) ; adidt males 

 with varied rich metallic tints (the head and neck rich, silky steel-blue, 

 violet, or brassj' green) ; adult females similar, but duller. Nest a coarse and 

 bulky but compact structure composed of coarse dried grasses, built in trees 

 (often in cavities). Eggs 3-7, pale green or greenish blue, pale olive, or dull 

 olive-whitish, coarsely spotted and irregularly lined with brown and black 

 (sometimes dull rustj- brown, marked with darker), (Subgenus Quismliis.) 

 l>\ Plumage of body above and below, with mixed metallic tints (usually sev- 

 eral on each feather, especially on back an<l scapulars), the color of head 

 and neck usually not abruptly defined against the color of the body ; 

 wing-coverts nsuall}' with nii.xed metallic tints; wings and tail usualh' 

 bluish violet or bluish. 

 c'. Larger, with smaller bill ; length about 11.00-13.50. wing (male) 5.45- 

 6.05 (5.71), tail 5.0.5-5.70 (5.46). graduation of tail 1.00-1.60 (1.26), 

 exposed eulmcn 1.1.3-1.23 (1.17), tarsus 1.35-1.45(1.40). Female: 

 Length about 11.00-11.50. wing about 5.00. tail about 4.80. Eggs 

 1.12 X -82. Ifah. Atlantic coast of United States (except southern 

 Florida), nortli to Massachusetts, west to eastern Tennessee. 



511. Q. quiscula (LixN.). Purple Grackle. 

 c'. Smaller, with larger bill; length about 10.40-12.00, wing (male) 5.20- 



