56 THE BOAT-TAILED GRAKLE. 



I found this species abundant and breeding along the shores of the Gulf of 

 Mexico, from the mouths of the Mississippi to within the maritime portions 

 of the Texas, in every suitable place, forming its nests principally among 

 the tall reeds of the salt marshes. The eggs measure one inch three-eighths 

 in length, and seven-eighths in breadth, being of an elongated oval form. 

 The name of Boat-tailed Grakle has been of late given to our Common Crow- 

 Blackbird, Quiscalus versicolor, which in my opinion is improper, in our 

 country at least, where all original well-known names ought to be retained, 

 were it for no other reason than to prevent inconvenience to students. No 

 one in Kentucky, for example, would know what was meant by "Little 

 Rusty-crowned Falcon," but would point out at once to any inquirer the 

 "Sparrow Hawk." 



Q,uiscalds major, Bonap Syn., p. 54. 



Great Crow Blackbird, Quiscalus major, Bonap. Amer. Orn., vol. i. p. 35. 

 Great Crow Blackeird, Quiscalus major, Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 192. 

 Boat-tailed Grakle or Great Crow Blackbird, Quiscalus major, Aud. Orn. Biog., 

 vol. ii. p. 504; vol. v. p. 480. 



Tail very long, graduated, with the feathers slightly concave above. Male 

 with the plumage silky, splendent, the head and neck deep purplish-blue, 

 the back, breast, and sides deep blue, passing into green behind, the rump 

 bronzed black; the wings and tail black, glossed with green, the abdomen, 

 lower tail-coverts, and tibial feathers, plain black. Female much smaller, 

 with the tail shorter, the plumage unglossed beneath, and but slightly glossy 

 above, the upper parts dusky, with slight tints of green and blue; the head 

 and neck dull brown; the lower parts light yellowish-brown, the tibial 

 feathers and lower tail-coverts dusky. 



Male, 15£, 23|. Female, 12§, IS. 



Abundant from Texas to North Carolina along the coast. Up the Missis- 

 sippi about 200 miles. Constantly resident. 



In a male, from the mouths of the Mississippi, preserved in spirits, the 

 palate is convex, with two longitudinal ridges, anteriorly with a middle and 

 two lateral ridges. The tongue is 1 inch 2 twelfths long, slender, horny 

 nearly in its whole length, sagittate and papillate at the base, concave above, 

 its greatest breadth 2^ twelfths, tapering to a lacerated thin point, and with 

 the edges also lacerated for nearly half an inch from the tip. The posterior 

 aperture of the nares is oblong behind, linear before, with strong papillae on 

 the edges. The oesophagus is 5£ twelfths long, its width 7 twelfths at the 

 commencement, then contracting to 4 twelfths, again slightly dilated to 5 

 twelfths; the proventriculus also 5 twelfths in width, its glands forming a 

 belt 7^ twelfths in breadth. The stomach is elliptical, 1 inch 2 twelfths 



