STURNIDiE. 285 



[91.] 1. Quiscalus versicolor. (Vieillot.) Common Purple Boat-tail. 



Sub-family, Scaphadurinas, Swains. Genus, Quiscalus, Vieil. 



Purple Grakle. Penn. Arct. Zool.,\\., p. 263, No. 153. 



Boat-tailed Grakle. Idem, p. 264, No. 154. 



Purple Grakle (Gracula quiscala). Wils, iii., p. 44, pi. 21, f. 4. 



Quiscalus versicolor. Vieil. Gal. des Ois., pi. 108 ; male; very inaccurate. 



Icterus quiscala. Sab. Frankl. Journ., p. 673. 



Quiscalus versicolor. Bonap. Orn., i , p. 42, pi. 5, f. 1. Syn., No. 56. 



The first appearance of this bird on the Saskatchewan plains is very striking. 

 It arrives from its winter-quarters in the southern parts of the United States in 

 the beginning of May, the males and females in separate flocks of from twenty 

 to a hundred, which perch in crowds on the leafless branches of the trees, their 

 plumage shining in the sun with metallic splendor*. For some days they fly 

 about the plains, making a chuckling noise, and feeding on insects ; but as soon 

 as the young blade raises itself above the earth in the corn-fields, which happens 

 at Carlton House about the middle of May, they descend, in company with the 

 Maize-birds and Cuckoo-bunts, to devour the sprouting seeds. Soon after this 

 period the Boat-tails pair, and build their nests, like rooks, several on the same 

 tree ; and occasionally, both in the fur-countries and United States, they choose 

 for their singular building site the loose sticks which form the base of the Osprey's 

 nest, apparently neither dreading nor inconvenienced by the bird of prey, which 

 rears its young above them. 



DESCRIPTION 



Of a male, killed on the Saskatchewan, May 12, 1827. 



Colour. — Head, neck, and breast, deep violet, with greenish and purplish-red metallic 

 reflections. Back, belly, and scapulars bronze-coloured. Wings reflecting auricula-purple, 

 with green and blue tints ; the primaries reddish-black. Tail exhibiting various shades of 

 imperial-, auricula-, and plum-purples, the central feathers slightly bronzed. The base of the 

 plumage is mostly blackish-grey, the metallic lustre being confined to the tips. There is a 

 brilliant play of colours as the bird moves in the light. Bill and legs black. Irides bright 

 gamboge-yellow. — The female is two inches shorter; but when in full plumage is as brilliant 

 as the male. 



Form, typical. Bill lengthened ; upper mandible not so thick as the under one, being 

 bent over, and projecting beyond it : the commissure not angulated at the base, but sinuated 

 in the middle, where it forms a lengthened festoon : tips entire. Wings moderate, rather 



* These shewy flocks are rendered still more remarkable by many of the individuals having their tails twisted so as 

 to bring the edges vertical both when flying and when on the perch. — R. 



