222 NOIITII AME1UCAJ4 BIRDS. 



Habits. Tliis race or species seems to be contined exclusively to the [K'nin- 

 sul;i of Floridii. We liave no notes us to any of its peculiarities, nor do we 

 know that it exhihits any (hfl'erences of manners or habits from those of its 

 nidre northern relatives. * 



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

 variation. The ground-cc»lor shades from a light drab to one with a greenisli 

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

 lonij in shape, and are very strikinnlv marked with characters in black and 

 dark brown, resembling Arabic and Tuikish letters. 



Quiscalus major, Vieill. 



BOAT-TAILED 6BAKLE ; JACKDAW. 



Grnculfi Itnriin, AViixtN, Index Am. Orn. YI, 1812 (not of LiNN.r.rs). Gracuhi qnisculn, 

 Oui>. J. A. X. Sc. I, 1818, 253 (not of Linx.kus). Quiscalus major, ViKiLi.or, Nouv. 

 Diet. X.XVIII, 1819, 487. — Box. Am. Orn. I, 1825, 35, \\. iv. — In. List, 1838.- 

 In. Consp. 18:.0, 424. —Ari). Orn. Bioi;. II, 1834, 504; V, 1838, 480, \A. rlxxxvii, 

 Ib. Syn. 1839, 140. — Ii!. Birds Am. W 1842, 52, \A. ccxx. — Baiui», Birds N. Am. 

 1858, 555. — Cassis, Pr. A. X. S. l.^., 409. — Allkx, B. K. Fla. 295. — Couks, 

 Ibis, X. S. IV, Xo. 23, 1870, 3G7 (Bio<;i-aphy). Ouikoplux ucs majur, "Tkmm." Cab. 

 Mus. Hi'in. 1851, 19t>. 



Sp. Chah. (l.oO.}.) Form rather k'Ugthoncd, 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 eciual; tail h^ng, graduated; lateral feathers about 2.50 inches 

 shorter than the central ; legs and feet strong. 



Adult m<(le. Black; head and m-ck wiih a fine puri)le lustre, rather abruptly defined 

 on the lower part of the neck bt-hiud, and succeeded by a fine green lustre which pac^ses 

 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 pui[ilish-blu(\ frcqucntU' plain black. Snndler wing-coverts 

 with green lustre: largiT coverts grernish-bron/.e ; quills fi-e(piently plain black, with a 

 greenish or bronzed edging and slight lustre. Tail usually with a slight l»luish or greenish 

 lustre, frequently i)lain black. Bill and feet black. Iris yellow. Total length about 15 

 inches ; wing, 7.t>0 ; tail, G.50 to 7.00. 



on the forenock, and with this color abruptly delhied ix)steriorly against the peculiar uniform 

 blackish dull groi*n of the body ; the wing-coverts usually tipped with vivid violet and gn-cn 

 spots. One male is a typical exiujqde of the var. jmrpurcus, distinguished by the blending of 

 the similar imtallie tints on the ]»o<ly and head, the broken tints on the Ixwly arranged in 

 transverse hais 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. a<ffa:us, these probably 

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

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



Var. purjuireus (one speehnenV ^. Wing, 5.30 ; tail, 4.05 ; cuhnen, 1.38. 



Intenuediate specimens. Tyjneal aijlceus in colors, but like purpureiis in size. (16 males, 

 and 17 females^. $ . Wing, 4.85 to 5.50 ; tail, 4.<)0 to 5.50 ; eulmen, 1.25 to 1.50. 9. Wing, 

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



Var. aglccus (four si»ecimens). $. Wing, 5.30 to 5.60; tail, 5.00 to 5.30; eulmen, 1.38 to 

 1.40. 



