222 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Habits. This race or species seems to be confined exclusively to the penin- 

 sula of Florida. We have no notes as to any of its peculiarities, nor do we 

 know that it exhibits any differences of manners or habits from those of its 

 more northern relatives. 



Of its eggs I have seen but few specimens. These do not exhibit much 

 variation. The ground-color shades from a light drab to one with a greenish 

 tinge. They average 1.17 inches in length by .85 in breadth, are more ob- 

 lon<i^ in shape, and are very strikingly marked with characters in black and 

 dark brown, resembling Arabic and Turkish letters. 



Quiscalus major, Vieill. 



BOAT-TAILED GRAKLE ; JACKDAW. 



Gracula harita, Wilson, Index Am. Orn. VI, 1812 (not of Linn^us). Gracula quiscala, 

 Ord. J. a. N. Sc. I, 1818, 253 (not of LiNNiEUs). Qiiisadus major, Vieillot, Nouv. 

 Diet. XXVIII, 1819, 487. — Box. Am. Orn. I, 1825, 35, pi. iv. — Ib. List, 1838.— 

 Ib. Consp. 1850, 424. —Aud. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 504; V, 1838, 480, pi. clxxxvii, 

 Ib. Syn. 1839, 146. — Ib. Birds Am. IV, 1842, 52, pi. ccxx. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 

 1858, 555. — Cassin, Pr. A. N. S. 1867, 409. —Allen, B. E. Fla. 295. — Coues, 

 Ibis, N. S. IV, No. 23, 1870, 367 (Biographj'). CJudcophanes major, "Temm." Cab. 

 Mus. Hein. 1851, 196. 



Sp. Char. (1,56.3.) Form rather lengthened, but robust ; bill strong, about the length of 

 head; wing rather long, second and third quills usually longest, though the first four 

 quills are frequently nearly equal ; tail long, graduated ; lateral feathers about 2.50 inches 

 shorter than the central ; legs and feet strong. 



Adult male. Black ; head and neck with a fine purple lustre, rather abruptly defined 

 on the lower part of the neck behind, and succeeded by a fine green lustre which passes 

 into a purple or steel-blue on the lower back and upper tail-coverts. On the under parts 

 the purple lustre of the head and neck passes more gradually into green on the abdomen ; 

 under tail-coverts usually purplish-blue, frequently plain black. Smaller wing-coverts 

 with green lustre; larger coverts greenish-bronze; quills frequently plain black, with a 

 greenish or bronzed edging and slight lustre. Tail usually with a slight bluish or greenish 

 lustre, frequently plain black. Bill and feet black. Iris yellow. Total length about 15 

 inches ; wing, 7.00 ; tail, 6.50 to 7.00. 



on the foreneck, and with this color abruptly defined posteriorly against the peculiar uniform 

 blackish dull gi-een of the body ; the wing-coverts usually ti[)ped with vivid violet and gi-een 

 spots. One male is a typical example of the var. pur imr cits, distinguished by the blending of 

 the similar metallic tints on the body and head, the broken tints on the body arranged in 

 transverse bars on the back, more purple tail-coverts, and lack of the vivid metallic tips to the 

 wing-coverts. There are also four nearly typical specimens of the var. acjlmus, these probably 

 from farther south on the peninsula, but with the characteristics of the race less exaggerated 

 than in the types from the keys. The measurements of this series are as follows : — 



Var. purpurms (one specimen), g. Wing, 5.30 ; tail, 4.65 ; culmen, 1.38. 



Intermediate specimens. Typical aglmus in colors, but like purpurms in size. (16 males, 

 and 17 females). $. Wing, 4.85 to 5.50 ; tail, 4.60 to 5.50 ; culmen, 1.25 to 1.50. ?. Wing, 

 4.65 to 4.90 ; tail, 3.80 to 4.50 ; culmen, 1.10 to 1.30. 



Var. aylocus (four specimens). $. Wing, 5.30 to 5.60; tail, 5.00 to 5.30; culmen, 1.38 to 

 1.40. 



