242 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



oration from that of M. m. inaj(»\ but decidedlj^ smaller than the last 

 named in all measurements except depth of bill. 



Adult mcde.— Length (skins), 332.7-365.8 (3-±3.6); wing, 163.8-168.1 

 (166.9); tail, 157..5-167.6 (163.6); culmen, from base, 36.1-40.6 (38.G); 

 depth of bill at base, 13-15.2 (13.7); tarsus, 44.5-47.5 (45.7); middle 

 toe, 30.5-33 (32).^ 



Adult female.—ljength. (skins), 270.5-285.8 (275.8); wing, 131.6- 

 139.7 (134.9); tail, 118.1-127.5 (124.5); culmen, from base, 30.5-33.3 

 (32.8); depth of bill at base, 11,1^12.2 (11.7); tarsus, 36.8-39.4 (38.1); 

 middle toe, 24.9-28.2 (26.2).' 



Coast plain of Sinaloa, northwestern Mexico (Mazatlan, Culiacan, 

 Escuinapa, etc.). 



Quiscalus major (not of Vieillot) Sclatek, Oat. Am. Birds, 1862, 141, part 



(Mexico). 

 Quiscalus palustris {not Scaphidurus palusiris Swainson ?) Cassin, Proc. Ac. Nat. 



Sci. Phila., 1866, 411 (monogr.; Mazatlan). 

 [Quiscalm major] var. palustris Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway, Hist. N. Am. 



Birds, ii, 1874, 214. 

 Quiscalus major var. palustris Lawrence, Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H., ii, 1874, 282 



(Mazatlan; habits). 

 (7) Quiscalus macrourus (not of Swainson) Nelson, North Am. Fauna, no. 14, 



1898, 52 (Tres Marias; straggler). 

 Quiscalus graysoni Sclater, Ibis, 5th ser., ii, Apr., 1884, 157 (Mazatlan, n. w. 

 Mexico; coll. Salvin and Godman); Cat. Birds Brit. Mas., xi, 1886, 397.— 

 Salvin and Godman, Biol. Oentr.-Am., Aves, i, 1887, 484. 

 Q[uiscalus'] graysoni Eidgway, Man. N. Am. Birds, 1887, 381. 

 Scaphidurus major graysoni Ridgway, Proc. Wash. Ac. Sci., iii, Apr. 15, 1901, 152. 



MEGAQUISCALUS MAJOR NELSONI Ridgway. 

 SONORAN BOAI-TAILES GRACKLE. 



Similar to M. in. graysoni, but averaging slightly smaller, with 

 slightly longer bill; adidt femcde much paler, the under parts (in 

 winter plumage) light wood brown, passing into brownish cream buff 

 on throat and chin and into grayish brown on flanks, thighs, and anal 

 region, the under tail-coverts dark grayish brown; pileum and hind- 

 neck light sepia brown, the scapulars and interscapulars margined 

 with the same. 



Adult maZe.— Length (skins), 345.4-353.1 (348); wing, 159.5-167.1 

 (164.6); tail, 154.9-166.4 (161); culmen, from base, 39.4-40.4 (39.6); 

 depth of bill at base, 13; tarsus, 41.9-45.5 (43.7); middle toe, 30.7-31.8 

 (31).= 



Adult female.— L^ngi\^ (skins), 279.4; wing, 129.5-134.6 (132.3); 

 tail, 120.1-124.5 (122.9); culmen, from base, 33.5-35.3 (34.3); depth 

 of bill at base, 11.4-12.2 (11.7); tarsus, 37.6-40.1 (39.1); middle toe, 

 25.9-27.9 (26.9).=' 



' Five .specimens. ^ Six specimens. ' Three specimens. 



