THE BIRDS OF NEW JERSEY. 217 



513 Megaquiscalus major (Vieillot). 

 Boat-tailed Grackle. 



Adult male. Length, 16. Wing, 7.50. Glossy blue-black, tinged with purple 

 on the head, throat and breast ; wings and tail duller. 

 Female. Smaller and browner ; under parts, dull buff. 



A very rare straggler from the south. 



Mr. Philip Laurent states that two of these birds made their ap- 

 pearance at Anglesea, Cape May county, along with the Purple 

 Grackles, in the spring of 1891, and one of them was shot by Mr. 

 Samuel Ludlam. 1 



This is the only record for the State. 



Family FRINGILLID^E. 



FINCHES, SPARROWS AND GROSBEAKS. 



This is one of our largest families of birds, comprising the Finches 

 and their allies. They are medium sized, with conical bills adapted 

 for seed eating, though many are largely insectivorous. A few species 

 are brilliantly colored, but the majority are brown and gray above, 

 with plain or streaked breasts. In most cases the young are similar 

 to the adults in general appearance. They are usually ground birds, 

 often taking to the trees when alarmed, though some species are dis- 

 tinctly arboreal. Many are fine songsters, and all are economically of 

 much value to the farmer, and deserve our careful protection. One 

 introduced species, the English Sparrow, does not, however, come 

 within this category, being in every sense a nuisance. 



a. Mandibles crossed. 



6. White wing bars. WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL, p. 224 



66. No white wing bars. RED CROSSBILL, p. 223 



aa. Mandibles not crossed. 



6. Plumage more or less bright blue. 



c. Wing over 3. BLUE GROSBEAK, p. 245 



cc. Wing under 3. IXDIGOBIRD, p. 245 



66. Bright red or pink in plumage. 



1 O. and O., 1892, p. 88. 



