FEMALE COMMON CROW BLACKBIRD. 199 
carina, a quarter of an inch long, which, in the others, is much 
smaller. That the Qwiscalus major and Quiscalus baritus 
should have been confounded together, is not a little surprising, 
as the former is sixteen inches long, the tail being eight inches, 
and extending five inches beyond the tip of the wings ; whilst 
the latter is only ten inches, the tail much less cuneiform, four 
inches and a half long, and extending but two inches beyond 
the tip of the wings; the osseous carina is similar in these 
two species, and the markings of the females are much alike. 
From this statement it is apparent that the females of the 
largest and smallest crow blackbirds correspond in the disposi- 
tion of their colours—a parity that does not exist in the inter- 
mediate species. In comparative size, however, they ditfer 
considerably: the female of the baritus, though smaller, as we 
have already stated, is, in proportion to its mate, considerably 
larger than that of the other, being only half an inch, whilst 
the female of the major is nearly four inches, smaller. 
The individual represented in the annexed plate is a re- 
markably fine one, in the most perfect state of plumage. It 
therefore more strongly resembles the male than is usual with 
its sex, which are generally much less brilliant in colouring, 
and more sooty brown. This bird was obtained at Great Ege 
Harbour on the 21st of May, and was selected as the best female 
of several pairs, assembled to breed at one of the identical 
fish-hawk nests, in the interstices of which Wilson mentions 
having seen them building. One of their nests contained 
three eggs, and the species had not ceased to lay. 
These birds, as we have had occasion personally to observe, 
like most of the feathered tribes, are subject to become either 
wholly or partially albinos. From this circumstance, nume- 
rous errors have been introduced in the pages of ornithological 
works, 
