ICTERID.E — THE ORIOLES. 225 



Dr. Bryant, who found this species the most common bird in the neigh- 

 horhood of Lake Monroe, adds that it could be seen at all times running along 

 the edge of the water, almost in the manner of a Sandpiper. They were 

 breeding by hundreds in the reeds near the inlet to the lake. On the 6th 

 of April some of the birds had not commenced laying, though the majority 

 had hatched, and the young of others were almost fledged. 



The eggs of this species measure 1.25 inches in length by .92 in breadth. 

 Their ground-color is usually a brownish-drab, in some tinged with olive, in 

 others with green. Over this are distributed various markings, in lines, zig- 

 zags, and irregular blotches of brown and black. 



Quiscalus major, var. macrurus, Sw. 



GEEAT-TAILED GRAKLE. 



Quiscalus macrouriis, Swainsox, Anim. in Menag. 2\ centen. 18-38, 299, fig. 51, a. — Baird, 

 Birds N. Am. 1858, pi. Iviii. — Ib. Mex. B. II, Birds, 20, pi. xx. — Cassin, Pr. A. 

 N. S. 1867, 410. Cluilcoplmnes macrurus. Cab. Mus. Heiii. 1851, 196. 



Sp. Char. (The largest species of this genus.) Form lengthened but robust, bill 

 strong, longer than the head ; wing long, third quill usually longest ; tail long, graduated, 

 outer feathers three to five inches shorter than those in the middle ; legs and feet strong. 



Adult male. Black ; head, neck, back, and entire under parts with a fine bluish-purple 

 lustre ; lower part of back and the upper tail-coverts, and also the abdomen and under 

 tail-coverts, frequently with green lustre, though in specimens apparently not fully adult 

 those parts are sometimes bluish-brown, inclining to dark steel-blue. Wings and tail 

 with a slight purplish lustre, smaller coverts with bluish-green, and larger coverts with 

 greenish-bronze lustre. Bill and feet black. Iris yellow. Total length, 17.50 to 20.00 ; 

 wing, about 8.00 ; ■ tail, 8.00 to 10.50. 



Female. Smaller, and generally resembling that of Q. major, but rather darker colored 

 above. Entire upper parts dark brown, nearly black, and with a green lustre on the 

 back ; wings and tail dull brownish-black. Under parts light, dull yellowish-brown ; 

 paler on the throat, and with a trace of a narrow dark line from each side of the lower 

 mandible. Tibite and under tail-coverts dark brown. Total length about 13.00 ; wing, 

 6.00 ; tail, 6.50. (Cassin.) 



Has. Eastern Texas to Panama and Carthagena. Cordova (Scl. 1856, 300) ; Guate- 

 mala (ScL. Ibis. I, 20, eggs); Honduras (Scl. II, 112); Carthagena, N. 9 (Cass. R. A. 

 S., 1860, 138) ; Costa Rica (Cab.\n. Journ. IX, 1861, 82 ; Lawr. IV, 104) ; Nicaragua 

 (Lawr. K Y. Lye. VIII, 181) ; Rio Grande of Texas (Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 493, breeds); 

 Vera Cruz (from hot to alpine regions ; resident. Sumichrast, M. B. S. I, 553). 



Habits. The Great-tailed or Central American Grakle is an abundant 

 species throughout Mexico and Central America, and probably extends to 

 some distance into South America. In Vera Cruz, Sumichrast states it to 

 be one of the few birds that are found in nearly equal abundance throughout 

 the three regions, hot, temperate, and alpine, into which that dejjartment is 

 physically divided. It is abundant every^vhere throughout that State, and 

 also nests there. In the neighborhood of Cordova and Orizaba it lives in 

 large communities, a single tree being often loaded with the nests. 



VOL. II. 29 



