1818.] GENUS GRACULA. 257 



little doubt that the Mexican Crow of Latham, Brisson's 

 Grande Pie du Mexique, is this species. 



The first specimens which we examined of the Jack- 

 daw were procured at Ossabaw island, on the 22d Janu- 

 ary. At this period we saw but a few males, scattered 

 over the cotton plantations. We afterwards found them 

 more numerous as we advanced to the south. Near 

 the entrance of the river St. Juan, in East Florida, in the 

 early part of February, the males were common, but we 

 saw no females. In a few days, however, small groups of 

 the latter appeared, associating by themselves, on the bor- 

 ders of fresh water ponds. From these circumstances it 

 is probable the species is partially migratory, and that the 

 females which we saw had lately arrived. Their gende- 

 ness, indeed, seemed to favour the supposition, as they 

 suffered one to approach within a few feet of them with- 

 out betraying alarm. It is a well-ascertained fact that the 

 males of almost all our migratory land birds precede the 

 females. This is manifestly the case with the Sylvia and 

 Muscicap(js, About the middle of March both sexes of 

 the Jackdaw were associated in flocks. 



It may excite surprise that the acute author of the 

 American Ornithology should have mistaken the Gra- 

 kle figured and described in his third volume as the Quis- 

 cala. But our surprise will abate on referring to the 

 works of the naturalists of Europe, who had noticed 

 both species, all of whom represented the Quiscala as 

 common in Pennsylvania. If Wilson had ever examin- 

 ed a specimen of the Jackdaw, he would have perceiv- 

 ed at once his mistake. When he printed the catalogue 

 of Land Birds, appended to the sixth volume of his Or- 

 nithology, he indicated the Boat-tail as a species to be 



