222 NORTH AMEIUGAN BIRDS. 



IIahits. Tliis race or siwcics socms to bo cuiiliucd exclusively to the lu'iiin- 

 siila of Florida. AVe liiive no notes as to any of its peculiarities, nor do we 

 know that it exliihits any differences of manners or habits from those of its 

 more northern I'elatives. 



Of its eyys 1 Jiave seen but few specimens. These do not exhibit nnich 

 variation. The ground-color shades from a light drab to one with a greenisli 

 tinge. They average 1.17 inciies in length by .85 in Vireadth, are more ob- 

 lonii' in sliiine, and are vcrv .strikin<'iv marked with characters in black and 

 dark brown, resembling Arabic and Turkish letters. 



Quiscalus major, Vieill. 



BOAT-TAILED GBAKLE ; JACKDAW. 



Omciifr linrilii, AVii.sdS, Imli'x Am. Orii. VI, 1812 (not of JjINN/KI'sV Gmcula qumiln. 

 UKii. J. A. N. Sc. I, 1818, 253 (not of Lisx.kfs). Quitculua mtijor, Vikim.iit, Xonv. 

 Pict. X.XVIII, 1819, 187. — Hdx. Am. Oin. I, 1825, 35, \i[. iv. — III. List, 1838.-- 

 lli. ('(insi). 18.'i0, 4':4. — Aui). Oni. Biof;. II, 1834, 504; V, 1838, 480, pi. clxxxvii, 

 In. Syn. 1839, 14('. — In. Hiids .Vin. IV, 1842, 52, pi. ctxx. — I!Aiiti>, liiiils N. Am. 

 185S, 655. — C.vsKix, I'r. A. X. S. 1807, 409. — Am.kn, \V V.. Fla. 295. —Cor iw, 

 Ibis, N. S. IV, Xo. 23, 1870, 307 (IJioj,'iaiiIiy). ClMlaiplmiics vuijur, "Ti:.\iM." C'Ait. 

 Mns. Hoin. 1851, 190. 



Sp. CiiAii. (1 ,.")('>l).) Form rather longtliencd, hut roliii.st ; bill strong, about the length of 

 heail ; wiii;^ rather loiij,'', second .anil third ([nills iisnally lonjjest, thontrh the (ir.'it four 

 (iuill.>i are IVeiiueutly nearly eipial ; tail luni,', graduated; lateral feathers about 2.50 iuelie.s 

 shor'er than the eentral ; leg.s and feet .strong. 



Adult male. Blaek ; head and niik willi a line purple lustre, rather .abruptly defined 

 on the lower part of the neek behind, and sucici'ded liy a line green hu-itn,' whieh patsises 

 into a purple or steel-blue on i\w lower liaik and np[(er tail-eoverts. On the under partii 

 the pur])li' lustre of the head .anil neck pa.ssrs more gradually into green on the abdomen; 

 undiM' tail-eoverls nsn.illy iiurphsh-bliii', frcuniMitly plain b!a<'k. Smaller wing-eoverts 

 with green lustre; larger eoverts greenish-bronzes; quills I'icipu-ntly i)Iaiii blai'k, with a 

 greenish or bronzed edging and slight lustre. Tail usually with a slight bluish or greenish 

 lustre, frequently plain lilaek. Bill .and feet bl.aek. Iris yellow. Total length about lu 

 inehes; wing, 7.00; tail, ti.,"<0 to 7.110. 



on the forenci'k, ami with this color abruptly deliued posteriorly against the jiccndia • uniform 

 bliuki.sh dull grern of the body ; the wiug-eovcrta usually tipped with vivid viniia and fjrci'U 

 .s]iots. One male is a typii'ul exanqile of t!u' var. piir/nirciii, distinguished by tlm lilcndiiig of 

 the .similar mrtallie tints on the body and head, the broken tints on tlii' body arrangrd in 

 transvt'iM' bars on the back, more purjilL' t.ail-eoverts, a'-d Ink of the vivid nictallii' tiiis to the 

 wing-iovi'its. There are also foiu' nearly tyjiieal speeiineiis of the var. axjlwus, these probably 

 from farther south on the peninsula, b\it with the ehnraeteristies of the raee less exaggerated 

 than in the types from \\w keys. The measurements of this .series are its follows : — 



Var. jiiirjiiimt.i (one .specimen). ,J. Wing, 5.30 ; tail, 4.t'>5 ; cuhnen, 1.38. 



Interiiiediate .speeimens. Typical icfihcim in colors, but like piirpurcux in si/.i-. (IG males, 

 and 17 females). $. Wing, 4.85 to 5.50 ; tail, 4.(iO to 5.50 ; eulmen, 1.25 to 1.50. 9. Wing, 

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



Vnr. aijlmis (four specimens). J. Wing, 5.30 to 5.00; tail, COO to 5.30 ; eidmeii, 1.38 to 

 1.40. 



