9298 Birds. 
inch more. Itis decurved, and of a dark horn-colour; nostril 3-tenths 
of an inch long, open, but very narrow. Lower mandible acutely 
angular and pointed. Forehead white; crown gray, and nape white. 
Anterior part of the back grayish brown ; tips of feathers cream-colour ; 
posterior grayish blue; rump and tail-coverts pure white. Tail nearly 
even; it has twelve rounded feathers, white at the base and tips, and 
there is a black band three-quarters of an inch in depth on all but the 
exterior feathers, which are black on the inner margins only. The 
under tail-coverts, like the upper, of a snowy whiteness, and very 
elongated, the centre ones extending beyond the quills. Throat and 
the whole of the lower parts pure white; under wing-coverts the same. 
The wing has twenty-six quills, is very pointed, and measures 10 
inches from flexure; first quill longest; the rest rapidly decrease. 
The secondaries incurved; the last but one the longest. The first 
and second primaries are black on the outer webs, and on the inner 
near the shafts, and for a short space on the margin towards the points, 
which are black; the rest of the web white. The third quill has the 
outer web black and white, and the inner is partially margined with 
the former colour, but the tip is white. Fourth quill black and white, 
and the rest of the primaries are marked almost in a similar manner. 
The secondaries are for the most part black, but broadly margined 
with white, and the three last are tinged with reddish yellow. The 
exterior primary coverts white; shafts and points black; the rest are 
white, except on the shafts. Secondary coverts bluish white, tipped 
with cream-colour. Under wing-coverts white, and those of the 
secondaries very elongated. Thigh bare for a quarter of an inch 
above the knee. 
Bittern (Ardea minor). On the 12th of September I shot a bird of 
this common but beautiful species. Weight 1}tb.; length 234 inches; 
extent of wings 3 feet 4inches. One shot in Newfoundland was about 
23 inches in length, so probably they are females, as the length given 
by Wilson is 27 inches. 
Purple Grackle (Gracula quiscala). Shot a male of this splendid 
species on the 25th of September, having been attracted when snipe- 
shooting by their cry, not unlike that of the European blackbird when 
about to roost, and their manner of flying is very similar, chasing 
round and through the bushes skirting the marsh, their habitat. 
Length 10$inches. Wing from flexure, 6 inches; extent 18} inches. 
Bill on the ridge 1 inch and 2-tenths; from gape 1} inch; of a dull 
black, arched and curved at the point, which is very acute; nostril 
oval. The bill is about four-tenths of an inch wide at the base, but 
