556 



U. S. p. E. E. EXP. AND SUEVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENEEAL EEPOET. 



varied reflections of bronze, golden, green, copper, and purple, the latter most conspicuous on the tail, the tail coverts, and 

 wings. The edges of primaries and of tail greenish. Female similar, but smaller and duller, with, perhaps, more green on the 

 head. 



Length, 13 inches ; wings, 6 ; tail, 5.80 ; bill above, 1.35. 



Hab. — From Atlantic to the High Central Plains. 



In No. 2104, as in other Pennsylvania specimens, there is a strong shade of violet just above 

 the steel blue on the feathers of the neck. Specimens from the west have a more brassy shade 

 on the blue of the neck, and the back is of a nearly uniform shade of greenish bronze. These 

 differences appear to be nearly constant with the two localities. One specimen from Carlisle 

 has the steel blue ou the head replaced, in a great measure, by purple and violet, owing to the 

 extension of this latter color to the tips of the feathers. It is probably to a specimen of this 

 variety that Swainson applied the name of Quiscalus purpuratus. 



In a series of about thirty specimens there are two males, the bills of which are much shorter 

 than in the majority, measuring barely over an inch, and shorter than the head, (Nos. 6558, 

 4'763.) I find a somewhat similar condition in a specimen from Carlisle, (833,) and as the 

 difference is unaccompanied by any other tangible character, I see no ground for specific 

 distinction. 



The young of the year are throughout of a dull brown. 



List of specimens. 



QUISCALUS BAKITUS, Vieillot. 



Gracula iarita, Linn. Syst. Nat. 1, 1766, 165, (based on Icterus niger, Br ) — Gmelin, I, 1788, 396. — Lath. Ind. I, 



1790, 191. 

 Q.uisci'lus baritus, Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. XXVIII, 1819, 487.— D'Okb. De la Sagra Cuba, Aves, 95. 

 Chalcophanes laritus, Wagler, Systema Avium, 1827, Gracula Expos. No. 4.— Cabanis, Mus. Hein. 1851, 197. 

 ? Q,m3calus crasmostris, Swainson, Anim. in Menag. 1838, 355. — Gosse, Birds Jamaica, 1847, 217. 



Sp. Ch; — Bill about three times as long as high, much longer than the head or the tarsus ; the commissure scarcely sinuated ; 

 the tip lengthened and decurved. Tail about as long as the wing, considerably graduated ; the lateral feathers about .85 of an 

 inch shorter. The second quill longest ; first shorter than the fourth. The head steel blue, passing on the neck into decided 

 purplish ; the body, wings, and tail bronze green, with a purplish violet shade on the tertials and rump. 



Length, 10.60; wing, 5 ; tail, 5; bill above, 1.40; tarsus, 1.40. 



Hab. — Florida coast and West Indies. 



