554 U. S. P. R. E. EXP. AND SURVEYS— ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 
Comparative measurements of species. 
Catal. 
No. 
Species. 
Locality. 
M 
Length. 
1 .1 
| 
Tail. 
Tarsus. 
Middle toe. 
Its claw 
alone. 
1 i 
i 4J 
£ 3 
Hind toe 
alone. 
Bill above. 
Along gape. 
Specimen 
measured. 
3948 
do. 
Quiscalus inacrourus. .. 
do 
Brownsville, Texas . . 
do... 
3 
18. 20 
18.00 
21.50 
7.48 
7.50 
9.26 
1.92 
1.80 
0.45 
1.30 
0.55 
1.58 
1.74 
Skin .... 
8U88 
Q? 
16.00 
6.96 
8.10 
2 03 
1.88 
0.48 
1.44 
1.76 
Fresh . . . 
1.60 
Skin .... 
3949 
do 
Fort Brown, Texas .. 
9 
12.80 
6.32 
1.54 
1.50 
0.47 
1.13 
0.56 
1.26 
1.46 
Skin .... 
do. 
13.00 
17.00 
5 50 
6.94 
4923 
Amelia Island, Fla. . . 
3 
14.10 
15 00 
7.34 
1.98 
1.82 
0.46 
1.34 
0.59 
1.52 
Fresh ... 
do. 
22.00 
7.00 
1.64 
Skin .... 
Fresh ... 
Skin .... 
Fresh ... 
2104 
Uuiscalus versicolor . . . 
Carlisle, Penn 
3 
11.10 
5.72 
1.30 
0.37 
0.98 
0.46 
1.24 
1.36 
do. 
13.00 
18.00 
6.00 
1363 
3 
11.40 
5.60 
5.54 
1.32 
0.34 
1.00 
0.48 
1.24 
1.31 
Skin .... 
1364 
9 
10.04 
4.96 
4.86 
1.14 
0.30 
0.42 
1.12 
1.22 
Skin .... 
6529 
Key Biscayne, Fla. . . 
3 
10.40 
5.08 
5.24 
1.38 
1.27 
0.38 
0.98 
0.45 
1.35 
1.48 
Skin .... 
QUISCALUS MACROURUS, Sw. 
Great-tailed Grakle. 
Quiscalus macroxirus, Swainson, Anim. in Menag. 2| centen. 1838, 299, fig. 51, a. 
Chalchophanes macrourus, Cab. Mus. Hein. 1851, 19G. 
Sp. Ch.— Bill longer than the head, edge slightly sinuated. Feathers of the crown short, close, and velvet-like. Tail very long, 
equaling the head and body, the lateral fealhers 3j inches the shortest. Wing considerably shorter than the tail ; third quill 
longest; first longer than the fifth. General color a lustrous black ; the head and neck, fore part of back, and under parts with 
a purple violet gloss ; the rest of back, wings, and tail, including under coverts, glossed with green, the colors blending insen- 
sibly. Length 18 inches ; wing, 7.50 ; tail, 9.30 ; bill above, 1 .70. 
Hab. — Valley of the lower Rio Grande of Texas, southward. 
The graduation of tail in this species is very great, the distances between the tips of the outer 
tail feather and the next being 1.30 inches, and decreasing successively with the rest. There is 
something quite peculiar in the softness and closeness of the feathers on the head, which stand 
almost erect like the pile of velvet. 
The female is much smaller and of a dark olive brown, lightest on the head and beneath. 
There is a strong tinge of brownish yellow in the throat ; rather less of it on the side of the 
head, where there is a faint indication of a dusky streak behind the eye. 
This species is somewhat like the Quiscalus major of the southern States, but is much larger ; 
the tail especially is more highly developed, being nearly two inches longer than the wing 
instead of nearly the same size. The soft velvety feathers of the head are quite peculiar. The 
feet are of nearly the same size. The first primary is shorter in proportion. The color is quite, 
different ; the purple gloss extending further down the back, and the entire under parts being 
purple instead of green. 
List of specimens. 
Catal 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
When col- 
lected. 
Whence obtained. 
Orig'l 
No. 
Collected by — 
Length. 
Stretch 
uf wings 
Wing. 
Remarks. 
3948 
8553 
8551 
8552 
6088 
3 
9 
Brownsville, Tex.... 
Mar. 28,1853 
23 
24 
18.00 
13.00 
21.50 
17.00 
7.50 
5.50 
Eyes yellow . 
do 
Sept. —,1836 
1 
