554 



U. S. p. E. E. EXP. AST) SUEVETS — ZOOLOGY — GENEEAL EEPOET. 



Comparative measurements of species. 



QUISCALUS MACKOUEUS, Sw. 



Great-tailed Grakle. 



Q,uiscalus macrourus, Swainson, Anim. in Menag. 94 centen. 1838, 299, fig. 51, a. 

 Chakhophanes macrourus, Cab. Mus. Hein. 1851, 196. 



Sp. Ch. — Bill longer than the head, edge slightly sinuated. Feathers of the crovpn short, close, and velvet-like. Tail very long, 

 equaling the head and body, the lateral feathers 3i inches the shortest. Wing considerably shorter than the tail ; third quill 

 longest ; first longer than the fifth. General color a lustrous black ; the head and neck, fore part of back , and under parts with 

 a purple violet gloss ; the rest of back, wings, and tail, including under coverts, glossed with green, the colors blending insen- 

 sibly. Length 18 inches ; wing, 7.50 ; tail, 9.30 ; bill above, 1.70. 



Hob. — Valley of the lower Rio Grande of Texas, southward. 



The graduation of tail in this species is very great, the distances between the tips of the outer 

 tail feather and the next being 1.30 inches, and decreasing successively with the rest. There is 

 something quite peculiar in the softness and closeness of the feathers on the head, which stand 

 almost erect like the pile of velvet. 



TKq female is much smaller and of a dark olive brown, lightest on the head and beneath. 

 There is a strong tinge of brownish yellow in the throat ; rather less of it on the side of the 

 head, where there is a faint indication of a dusky streak behind the eye. 



This species is somewhat like the Quiscalus major of the southern States, but is much larger ; 



the tail especially is more highly developed, being nearly two inches longer than the -wing 



instead of nearly the same size. The soft velvety feathers of the head are quite peculiar. The 



feet are of nearly the same size. The first primary is shorter in proportion. The color is quite 



different ; the purple gloss extending further down the back, and the entire under parts being 



purple instead of green. 



lAst of specimens. 



