410 BULLETIN" 15 5, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



to twenty fibres are involved. The four eggs have a white back- 

 ground spotted very finely with russet, the spots being distributed 

 over the entire surface of the egg but more numerous about the large 

 end. The eggs measure as follows: 20.9 by 15.9, 21.2 by 16.2, 21.8 

 by 15.9, and 21.8 by 16.6 mm. 



James Bond reports a nest found at Fort Liberte April 28, 1928, 

 placed fifteen feet from the ground at the end of a branch in an 

 almond tree, being woven into the leaves. Two of the eggs were on 

 the point of hatching. The third, which was saved, measured 22.7 

 by 16 mm. The egg is white with a very faint bluish tinge, marked 

 with fine spots of russet and mars brown spread rather evenly over 

 the surface, fusing over the large end to form a distinct cap. 



An adult male shot by Wetmore at Hinche, Haiti, April 22, 1927, 

 had the bill black ; iris bone brown ; tarsi and toes dull neutral gray ; 

 claws black. An immature female taken at the same time had the 

 same colors. 



Birds from Hispaniola, Gonave and Tortue do not seem to differ 

 appreciably in color or size. Following are measurements of our 

 series : 



Males, twenty-one specimens, wing 88.9-101.0 (96.0), tail 82.0-94.2 

 (86.2), culmen from base 19.2-23.8 (21.5), tarsus 21.7-24.8 (23.5) mm. 



Females, five specimens, wing 87.0-91.4 (89.0), tail 82.3-84.8 (83.6), 

 culmen from base 19.9-20.9 (20.4), tarsus 22.6-24.5 (23.5) mm. 



This oriole is from 195-220 mm. in length, with slender form. 

 Adult male and female are black with rump, shoulder, abdomen and 

 under tail-coverts clear yellow. Birds in immature dress are olive 

 green, more yellowish below, and often show varying numbers of 

 black feathers as the adult dress grows in among the other plumes. 



HOLOQUISCALUS NIGER NIGER (Boddaert) 

 HISPANIOLAN GRACKLE, CHINCHILIN, MERLE, MERLE DIABLE 



Oriolus niger Boddaert, Table Planch. Enl., 17S3, p. 31 ("St. Dorningue "= 

 Hispaniola). — Descourtilz, Voy. Nat., vol. 2, 1809, p. 68 (Gonaives). — Hitter, 

 Naturh. Iteis. Westind. Insel Hayti, 1836, p. 155 (specimen). 



Troupiale noir, Montbeillard, in Buffon's Hist. Nat. Ois., vol. 3, 1775, p. 220 

 (food). 



Troupiale noir, de St. Dorningue, Daubenton, Planch. Enl. No. 534 (colored 

 figure). 



Icterus niger Brisson, Ornith., vol. 2, 1760, p. 104, pi. 10, fig. 1 (" Saint- 

 Domingue "). 



Gracula quiscala, Ritter, Naturh. Reis. Westind. Insel Hayti, 1836, p. 155 

 (specimen). 



Quiscalus sericeus, Hartlaub. Isis, 1847, p. 610 (listed). 



Quiscalus barita, Salle, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1857, p. 232 (Dominican 

 Republic). 



