\^s 



NOUTII AMKKR'AN 131KDS. 



.-**»-- 



Crotophaga ani, Lixy. 



THE AHI; THE 8AYAHHA BLACKBIBD. 



Crotophnja ani, Linn. Syst. X:it. I, 17<>«>, ir.4. — RriiMF.isTKi:, Tli. \\\x>. (Vi.fj.-l.'y 1850, 

 'J:.4. — \\\U'A\ IJinls N. Am. IS.'.S, -'1, j.l. Ixxxiv, f. 2. - C.vitANi.s Mus. Ilfiii. iv, 

 1(H>. r,;>t,ij)/i(iff<i iiiiiinr, Lk>s. Traitc Oni. lS:n. 130 i'rotophaija hvviroatni, SwAlN- 

 soN, An. in Mcnuj,'. 2) Cut. 1S:5S. 3-21. ('rof„j>/in<ja rn<jiroxtrn, Swainson, 2^ Cent. 

 1838, 321. li-,'. e.'s l.ill. - llruM. Th. Ui-as. II, 1850, 23r». — lUiun, Uirds N. Am. 

 1858, 71, I'l. Ixxxiv, f. 1. 



!^p. Char. Bill at the nostril^; iM'arlv twice a.«? liitrh as broad ; tiio nostrils oUiptical, a 

 little oblique, situated in the middle of the lower half of the upper niandil>le. Gonys 



nearly straJL'ht. Indications of 

 fiiint transverse wrinkles along the 

 upper portion of the l>ill. nearly 

 perpendicular to the culnien. Leirs 

 stout; tarsus lonirer than middle 

 toe, with seven broad scutelhe 

 anteriorly extendinijf round to the 

 middle of each side ; the remain- 

 inir or posterior portion of each 

 side with a series of ((uadranirular 

 plates, corresponding; nearly to the 

 anterio. ones, the series meeting 

 behind in a sharp ridge. The 

 wiuiis reach over the basal third 

 of the tail. The primary ipiills are 

 broad and acute, the fourth longest ; the first abotit equal to the tertials. The tail is 

 graduated, the outer about an inch and a half shoitcr than the middle ones. 



The color generally is black, with steel-blue retlections above, changing sometimes into 

 violet; duller beneath. The pointed leathers of the head, neck, and breast, with a bronzy 

 metallic border, appearing also to some extent on the wing-coverts and upper part of 

 back. Iris brown. Length, 13.20 ; wing, G.OO ; tail, 8..30 : tarsus, 1.48. 



Hab. West Indies; South Florida. Accidental near Philadelphia. Localities: F?ta. 

 Cruz (Newton, Ibis, I, 14S). 



As already reinarkeil, we do not find rea.<^on to admit more than one 

 species of Crotopluaid in the United States and the West Indies, as in the 

 i,n*eat variation in size, and to some extent ' .-■ sliai)e of bill, there is nothing 

 constant. The species can hardly be considered more than a straggler iu 

 the United States, although a considerable ninnber of specimens have been 

 seen or taken within its limits. That in the Smithsonian collection was 

 killed on the Tortugas ; but there is one in the collection of the riiiladelpliia 

 Academy, killed near riiiladelpliia by ^fr. John Krider, and ])resented by 

 him. Mr. Audubon also possessed a pair said to have been killed near New 

 Orleans. 



Haijits. This species, the common Savanna Blac'kbird of the West India 

 Islands, is probably only an accidental visitant of the United States, and 

 may not strictly belong to the avi-fauna of Xorth America. 



Crotophnsn ani. 



