THE BIRDS OF HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN" REPUBLIC 413 



Wetmore found young out of the nest and observed the birds in 

 family parties that usually contained three young in addition to the 

 parents. Others were nesting at this time about the rocky islets on 

 the south shore of Samana Bay and among the palms in the savannas 

 of the lower Yuna, where males walked back and forth with drooping 

 wings and spread tail along the horizontal leaf ribs. 



From a few observations it appears that these birds may gather 

 at evening in central roosts when they are not nesting. On March 

 29, 1927, Wetmore observed two flying high above Port-au-Prince in 

 early morning, and at dusk of the same day near Carrefour observed 

 little bands passing to the westward along the coast until more than 

 one hundred had been counted. Abbott noted large numbers congre- 

 gated in the marshes near Lake Enriquillo October 1 to 6, 1919. 

 The usual call of the grackle is a high-pitched whees-see-ee, and the 

 song, a wheezing effort, is variable. 



An adult male taken by Wetmore April 2, 1927, at Fonds-des- 

 Negres had the bill and tarsus black, under side of toes dusky, and 

 iris light yellow. Male and female taken at Sanchez May 9 were 

 similar to the one just described except that the under side of the 

 toes was slightly yellowish. A young male taken with them had the 

 iris light brown. 



The keel on the lower face of the palate (in the roof of the mouth), 

 so prominently developed in grackles of the genus Quiscalus, in the 

 present species is represented by a rounded ridge that projects below 

 the level of the cutting edge of the mandibles and slopes gradually 

 into the level of the palate in front. 



A pair taken by Abbott at Jarabacoa October 12, 1916, and one 

 from Lake Enriquillo October 2, 1919, are molting wing and tail 

 feathers. In a juvenile shot by Wetmore at Sanchez May 6, 1927, 

 the ninth and tenth primaries are only partly grown. 



Range in measurement in these birds is considerable but so far as 

 can be ascertained is entirely individual. Birds from Tortue and 

 Gonave do not differ appreciably from those of the main island. 

 Following are dimensions from the series at hand : 



Twelve males, wing 125.1-143.7 (135.7), tail 104.8-124.8 (117.7), 

 culmen from base 30.3-34.8 (32.2), tarsus 32.0-37.7 (34.5) mm. 



Twelve females, wing 108.5-119.3 (114.4), tail 91.4-107.0 (100.3), 

 culmen from base 26.4-29.4 (27.9), tarsus 29.5-33.0 mm. 



The grackle is from 265 to 305 mm. long, males being decidedly 

 larger than females, and is glossy black in color. The tail is plicate, 

 i. e. is formed like an open V the lower ridge or angle being capable 

 of great extension downward in the males. The young are duller 

 colored when they first leave the nest but soon assume the dress of 

 the adults. 



2134—31 27 



