QUISCALUS. 381 



coverts; length about 11.50-13.50, wing 5.70-6.50 (5.94), tail 

 5.40-6.30 (5.98), exposed culmen 1.20-1.42 (1.34). Eggs 1.31 X 

 .87. Hob. Eastern Mexico, north to southern Texas, south to 

 Nicaragua. 



512. Q. macrourus SWAINS. Great-tailed Grackle. 

 c*. Adult male with tail not more than 7.50. 



d l . Plumage (both sexes) essentially as in Q. macrourus, but size very 

 much less. 



Adult male : Length 14.00-15.70, wing 6.25-7.05 (6.62), tail 

 6.20-7.60 (6.92), exposed culmen 1.36-1.43 (1.40). Adult fe- 

 male : Length about 11.00-11.75, wing 5.15-5.50 (5.32), tail 

 4.80-5.20 (5.00), exposed culmen 1.15-1.18 (1.17). Hab. 

 Western Mexico (north to mouth of Colorado Eiver?). 



Q. graysoni SCL. Grayson's Grackle. 1 



d*. Adult male with metallic gloss greenish, changing through steel- 

 blue on back, scapulars, lesser wing-coverts, and lower breast to 

 violet on head, neck, chest, and upper breast ; length about 

 15.00-17.50, wing 7.00-7.50 (7.22), tail 6.80-7.55 (7.14), exposed 

 culmen 1.48-1.68 (1.59). Adult female : Similar in color to 

 same sex of Q. macrourus, but lighter and more tawny beneath, 

 and much browner above, the head and neck of an umber tint ; 

 length about 11.50-13.00, wing 5.55-5.75 (5.61), tail 5.10-5.55 

 (5.31), exposed culmen 1.14-1.30 (1.24). Eggs 1.26 X -89. Hab. 

 South Atlantic and Gulf coast of United States, north to Vir- 

 ginia, west to Texas. 



513. Q. major VIEILL. Boat-tailed Grackle. 



b'*.. Bill more slender (greatest depth, at base of gonys, not more than .35 in 

 male or .30 in female; adult female with top of head, hind-neck, and 

 upper back bright rusty brown, the lower parts bright tawny, becoming 

 buffy on belly and dusky on flanks and under tail-coverts. 



Adult male : " Uniform dark purplish black, with slight metallic reflec- 

 tions ; wings and tail dark shining black . . . length 13 inches, 

 wing 6.7 ; tail, middle rectrice 7, external 4.3." Adult female : 

 Length about 10.00-10.50, wing 5.20, tail 4.40-5.10, exposed culmen 

 1.12. Hab. Central Mexico. 



Q. tenuirostris SWAINS. Slender-billed Grackle. 1 



1 Quiscalus palustris " SWAINS.," of AUTHORS, but not of SWAINSON. Quiscalus grayaoni SCL., Cat. B. Brit. 

 Mus. xi. 1886, 307. 



* Quiscalus tenuirostris SWAINS., An. in Menag. 1838, 299. 



