556 U. S&S. P. R. R, EXP, AND SURVEYS—ZOOLOGY—GENERAL REPORT. 
varied reflections of bronze, golden, green, copper, and purple, the latter most conspicuous on the tail, the tail coverts, and 
wings. The edges of primaries and of tail greenish. Female similar, but smaller and duller, with, perhaps, more green on the 
head. 
Length, 13 inches ; wings, 6; tail, 5.80; bill above, 1.25. 
Hab.—From Atlantic to the High Central Plains. 
In No. 2104, as in other Pennsylvania specimens, there is a strong shade of violet just above 
the steel blue on the feathers of the neck. Specimens from the west have a more brassy shade 
on the blue of the neck, and the back is of a nearly uniform shade of greenish bronze. These 
differences appear to be nearly constant with the two localities. One specimen from Carlisle 
has the steel blue on the head replaced, in a great measure, by purple and violet, owing to the 
extension of this latter color to the tips of the feathers. It is probably to a specimen of this 
variety that Swainson applied the name of Quiscalus purpuratus. 
In a series of about thirty specimens there are two males, the bills of which are much shorter 
than in the majority, measuring barely over an inch, and shorter than the head, (Nos. 6558, 
4763.) I find a somewhat similar condition in a specimen from Carlisle, (833,) and as the 
difference is unaccompanied by any other tangible character, I see no ground for specific 
distinction. 
The young of the year are throughout of a dull brown. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. | Sex. Locality. When col- Whence obtained. | orig’ Collected by— Length. | Stretch | Wing. 
No. lected. No. ofwings. 
Apmil 12, 1845 | S. F. Baird.. | sees ..| 13.00] 18.00 6.00 
April 16, 1844 }...... do... 
ANGEL. (G. | Big, Nemaha..cveesseccccsasess | April23, 1856 
4762 | @ | Bald {sland, Missouri river..... April 25, 1856 
4766 Q wieleesin CO Saisinsie(sinie.cleie 
4158} Gi |aveeee AO swe sjevetiezs: 
4760 3 vesees dO nedae. sss 
AIGV NN se'sie.c sees GOssecescceee dO... eeeee+/ April —, 1856 |...... GO.. cece cccesscecces| sovee 
S513 ile ccas Cedar Islands. «css o] Col. Vaughan...ccsrccscclececee 
8312 | @ | Independence.... Wn. M. Magraw........ 
G556i)) gece Fort Riley, /KovMasciecccteseces | eseeiesoticeeise| DrsaVWerAt Hammonditays | cnscca| ctitesltes sete acto staate sacle a] Comemc ce lac gensaaleneaiseas 
5666 | G | Little Blue FLVEN Koo" cieinenys a July 4, 1846 | Lieut. Bryan............. | GB | W.S. Wo0d ..coccccccecs|ovccvecsloosencee| ince 
5665 | © | Jenny Cr. of Republican....... July, BH1B56) |< sce. CUO ssisiewscievisiewoal mae scisicistl 
QUISCALUS BARITUS, Vieillot. » 
Gracula barita, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 165, (based on Icterus niger, Br )—Gmexin, |, 1788, 396.—Laru. Ind. I, 
1790, 191. 
Quiscalus barilus, ViertLtot, Nouv. Dict. XXVIII, 1819, 487.—D’Ors. De la Sagra Cuba, Aves, 95. 
Chalcophanes baritus, Wacier, Systema Avium, 1827, Gracula Expos. No. 4.—Caxanis, Mus. Hein. 1851, 197. 
2 Quiscalus crassirostris, Swainson, Anim. in Menag. 1838, 355.—Gossr, Birds Jamaica, 1847, 217. 
Sp. Cu.—Bill about three times as long as high, much longer than the head or the tarsus ; the commissure scarcely sinuated ; 
the tip lengthened and decurved. ‘Tail about as long as the wing, considerably graduated ; the lateral feathers about .85 of an 
inch shorter. The second quill longest ; first shorter than the fourth. The head steel blue, passing on the neck into decided 
purplish ; the body, wings, and tail bronze green, with a purplish violet shade on the tertials and rump. 
Length, 10.60; wing, 5; tail,5; bill above, 1.40; tarsus, 1.40. 
Hab.—Florida coast and West Indies. 
