AGELAINJE. QUISCALUS. 
145 
GENUS V. QUISCALUS, Vieill. CROW-BLACKBIRD. 
Bill as long as the head or somewhat longer, nearly 
straight, strong, tapering, compressed from the base ; upper 
mandible with its outline slightly decimate, a little convex, 
the ridge narrow at the base and encroaching a little on 
the forehead, afterwards broad, rounded, and indistinct, the 
sides convex, the edges sharp and direct, or slightly in- 
flected, with a faint festoon anterior to the nostrils, the tip 
deflected, acute ; lower mandible with the angle short and 
rounded, the dorsal line straight, slightly deflected at the 
end, the ridge convex, the sides rounded, the edges in- 
flected, the tip very acute. Nostrils basal, oval, half-closed 
by a membrane. Head of moderate size, ovate, flattened 
above ; neck of moderate length ; body rather slender. 
Feet of moderate length; tarsus as long as the middle toe 
and claw, compressed, with eight anterior scutella ; toes 
rather long, with large scutella, the hind toe stronger, the 
lateral toes nearly equal, the middle toe much longer. Claws 
rather long, slightly arched, compressed, not laterally grooved, 
acute. Plumage blended, highly glossed. Wings of mo- 
derate length, the second and third quills longest, the first 
and fourth little shorter. Tail long, graduated or rounded, 
the feathers flat or slightly concave, slightly emarginate, 
with the inner webs longer than the outer. Roof of the 
upper mandible concave with three longitudinal ridges, 
of which the middle is enlarged at the base and prominent ; 
tongue slender, sagittate, concave above, tapering to a thin 
lacerated point ; oesophagus rather wide, considerably di- 
lated about the middle ; stomach of moderate size, elliptical 
or roundish, moderately muscular, the lateral muscles dis- 
tinct, the epithelium dense, horny, slightly rugous, with 
two roundish grinding surfaces ; intestine of moderate 
length, rather wide ; coeca very small ; cloaca oblong. 
N 
