108 



considerable difficulty. Mr, F. M. Cliapman* tells us that in a ser- 

 ies of fifty-one breeding males taken at West Chester, Chester 

 county, Pa., by Dr. B. H. Warren and Mr. G. W. Roberts, there 

 were two specimens almost typical of Quiscalus quiscula aglceus (the 

 form inhabiting Florida and other southern states), and one closely 

 approaching Q. quiscula ceneus, while the rest showed all stages of 

 intermediate coloration. 



The most probable explanation of the question is that advanced by 

 Mr. Chapman, i. e., that there were originally two species, the west- 

 ern and northern Q. ceneus and the southeastern Q. ar/lceus, and that 

 the former has spread into the territory of the latter, mixing with it 

 until now the typical Q. aglceus is found only in the Gulf States and 

 South Atlantic seaboard (north to Virginia ?). To the north and 

 westward towards the mountains, intermediate formsf occur ap- 

 proaching nearer and nearer to Q. ceneus, until we find typical re- 

 presentatives of this form just beyond the Alleghanies and in New 

 England. 



1228']. Quiscalus major (Yi^u^-l.). Boat-tailed Grackle. 



BuEEDiXG Range — Soutliern States northward to Cajje Charles, Va. 

 Winter Distribution — Southern U. S. 



Very rare straggler from tlie south. 



Two birds of this species made their appearance at Anglesea, N. 

 J., in company with the Purple Grackles in the Spring of 1891, one 

 of which was shot by Mr. Samuel Ludlam (^Laure^it, 0. ^ 0., 1892). 

 We know of no other records. 



Family Fringillidse — The Finches. 



Thirty-five species and sub-species of the Finch Family occur in 

 eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Of these, fourteen breed % 

 in the southern portions of these states, the Goldfinch, Vesper 



* Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., Vol. IV., p. 1. 



f The original description of the Purple Grackle Q. quiscula was taken from 

 one of these intermediate specimens, butif only two races are recognized the name 

 quiscula would of course hold for the southeastern bird as it antedates agleeus. 



f The Song Sparrow, Goldfinch, Vesper Sparrow and Field Sparrow, occur 

 also in winter. 



