BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 243 



Coast district of Sonera, northwestern Mexico (Alamos, Camoa, 

 Guaymas, etc.). 



Qwiscalus major (not of Vieillot) Gambel, Journ. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., ser. 2, i, 



1847, 47 (Gulf of California, occasionally to "Upper California"); Proc. 



Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1847, 203 (do.). 

 Quiscalus palustris (not Scaphidiiru^ palusiris Swainsonj Ridgway, Proc. U. S. 



Nat. Mus., iii, 1880, 218 (Gulf of California) ; Norn. N. Am. Birds, 1881, no. 



276, part — Belding, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vi, 1883, 343 (Guaymas, Sonora). 

 Scaphidurus major nelsoni Ridgway Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., iii, Apr. 15, 1901, 



151, 152 (Alamos, Sonora, n. w. Mexico; coll. U. S. Nat. Mus.). 



MEGAQUISCALUS TENUIROSTRIS (Swainson). 

 SLENDER-BILLED GRACKLE. 



Much smaller than any of the forms of M. major and with bill much 

 more slender. 



Adult 7nale. — Glossy purplish black, much as in M. majoi'iiiacroii/rus, 

 but the gloss duller and more reddish violet on head, neck, and breast; 

 length (skins), about 330.2-368.3; wing, 169.7-170.2 (169.9); tail, 177.8- 

 189.2 (183.4); exposed culmen, 34.3; depth of bill at base, 10.2; tarsus, 

 45.7; middle toe, 30.5.^ 



Acktlt female. — Pileum, hindneck, and back brown (between burnt 

 umber and prouts brown), darker on postei'ior portion of back and 

 scapulars; rump blackish brown; wings, upper tail-coverts, and tail 

 brownish black; lores dusky brown; auricular region similar in color 

 to pileum, and separated from the latter by a rather distinct super- 

 ciliary stripe of wood brown or cinnamon-buffy; under parts (except 

 flanks, anal region, and under tail-coverts) tawny brown or cinnamon, 

 paler and more buffy on throat and abdomen, still paler on chin; flanks, 

 anal region, and under tail-coverts dusky brown; length (skins), 251.6- 

 309.9 (279.9); wing, 128.3-134.6 (131.8); tail, 132.1-135.1 (133.6); 

 exposed culmen, 28.5-30.5 (29.5); depth of bill at base, 8.9-9.7 (9.1); 

 tarsus, 37.6-38.1 (37.8); middle toe, 25.4-26.7 (26.2).' 

 Central Mexico (marshes near the City of Mexico). 

 (?) Scaphidurus palustris Swainson, Philos. Mag., new ser., i, 1827, 436 (near 



City of Mexico). 

 (?) Se[aph.idurus'\ palustris Bonaparte, Consp. Av., i, 1850, 426 (Mexico). 

 Quiscalus tenuirostris Swainson, Anim. in Menag., 1838, 299, fig. 51, b. c. (near 

 Cityof Mexico).— Cassin, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1866, 411 (monogr.).— 

 ScLATER, Ibis, 1884, 157, pi. 5 (monogr.); Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xi, 1886, 

 397. — Salvin and God.man, Biol. Centr.-Am., Aves, i, 1887, 485. 

 Qltdscalus'] tenuirostris Bonaparte, Consp. Av., i, 1850, 424 (Mexico). — Baied, 

 Brewer, and Ridgway, Hist. N. Am. Birds, ii, 1874, 214.— Ridgway, Man. 

 N. Am. Birds, 1887, 381. 

 [Quiscalus'] tenuirostris Sclater and Salvin, Nom. Av. Neotr., 1873, 38. 

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



'Measurements from specimens in Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., and as given by Sclater 

 in Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xi, p. 397. 



''Three specimens; one in U. S. Nat. Mus. collection, two in collection of Acad. 

 Nat. Sci. Phila., the latter measured by Mr. Witmer Stone. 



