sturnid^e. 287 



DESCRIPTION 

 Of a mate, killed at Fort Franklin, lat. 65°, May 15, 1826. 



Colour, deep and uniform black, with greenish and bluish reflections. A few feathers on 

 the neck, breast, belly, and the under tail coverts slightly edged with yellowish-brown. Bill 

 and legs black. — The female, killed at the same time, is mostly blackish-brown above ; the 

 rump and tail coverts blackish-grey. Plumage of the neck, fore part of the back and wings 

 edged narrowly with chestnut-brown. Tail greenish-black. Under plumage blackish-grey, 

 edged with dull wood-brown. — R. 



An adult female, in full plumage, in Mr. Swainson's collection, has the general colour 

 of the back, wings, and tail blackish-grey, with a peculiar faint gloss of greenish, hardly 

 definable ; between the eye and bill is a velvet-like line of black, which shades the under 

 eyelid. The whole of the head and neck is rusty or chestnut-brown, unbroken by any other 

 colour, darkest above and palest beneath : this colour also forms a pale stripe over the eyes. 

 The rusty or chestnut-brown of the head and neck gradually diminishes on the upper part of 

 the back, where it merely tips the blackish-grey feathers and the edges of the wing covers 

 and tertiary quills. This specimen was from Georgia. 



Form. — Bill slender, pointed, both mandibles equal ; presenting in its general structure 

 much similarity to that of the genus Quiscalus ; but the base of the commissure has a distinct 

 angle, while the margins beyond, although inflexed, are not at all sinuated. Wings moderate, 

 the first and fourth quills equal, and the second longest : lesser quills slightly emarginate. 

 Tail moderate, slightly rounded, the feathers broad, and not boat-shaped. Tarsi lengthened ; 

 claws slender: the feet, claws, &c, being similar to those of Agelaius phceniceus. — Sw. 









Dimensions 



















Of the male. 















Inch. 



Lin. 





Inch. 



Lin. 





Inch. 



Lin. 



Length, total 



. 9 



4 



Length of hill ahove . 



. 



10 



Length of middle toe 



. 



114 



„ of tail 



3 



6 



„ of bill to rictus . 







11? 



„ of its nail . 







2| 



„ of wing 



. 4 



n 



„ of tarsus 



. 1 



n 



„ of hind toe 

 „ of its nail . 



. 

 . 



5i 



The female is very little smaller. 



