76 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 
Length, 18.00 ; wing, 7.70 ; tail, 9.20, its graduation, 3.50 ; culmen, 
1.76. Female. Wing, 5.80; tail, 6.30. Hab. From Rio Grande of 
Texas, south through Eastern Mexico ; Mazatlan (accidental ?). {Long- 
tailed GraJde.) ......... var. macrurus. 
Family STURNXDiE. — The Starlings. 
Genus STURNUS, LlNNiEUS. 
Gen. Char. Bill like Sturnella , long, conical, much depressed ; the culmen, gonys, 
and commissure nearly straight, the latter angulated at base. Wings, twice length of tail ; 
much pointed, 'the primaries graduating rapidly from the second, the first being rudimen- 
tary, the secondaries much shorter. Tail nearly even ; the feathers acuminate. Tarsi 
short ; about equal to middle toe ; lateral toes equal. Plumage coarse and stiff, each 
feather distinctly outlined. Ten primaries ; the outer rudimentary. 
S. vulgaris. Feathers principally lustrous-black, with purple and green reflections, 
except at their extremities, which are dull and opaque ; brownish above, silvery-white 
beneath. Bill yellow in spring, brown in autumn. Legs flesh-color. Length about 
8.51 ; wing, 5.11; tail, 2.81; bill above, 1.11, from nostril, .75; gape, 1.15; tarsus, 1.15; 
middle toe and claw, 1.15. Female similar, but less brilliant. Iris brown. Nest in 
holes of trees, walls, etc., of twigs, grass, etc. Eggs uniform delicate blue. Hab. Europe 
and North Africa, most abundant in Holland. One specimen killed in Greenland, in 1851. 
{Starling.') 
Family CORVIDiE. — The Crows. 
Iris as far as known hazel or brown. Nest rather bulky and usually on trees ; rarely, 
as sometimes with the Ravens, on the ground or in rocky ledges. Eggs in most species 
with greenish ground, thickly and uniformly blotched with dusky. 
Corvinse. Bill as long as the head. Tail short, nearly even ; wings long and pointed, 
longer than tail, and nearly reaching its tip; projecting beyond the under tail-coverts, 
which reach the middle of tail. Tip of wing formed by the third, fourth, and fifth quills, 
which are longest. (Page 76.) 
Garrulinse. Bill usually shorter than head. Tail lengthened, rounded, and generally 
longer than the wings, which are short, rounded, and extend scarcely beyond the lower 
tail-coverts; these not reaching the middle of the tail. Tip of wing formed by the fourth, 
fifth, and sixth quills, which are longest. (Page 78.) 
Subfamily COEYII^l. (Page 7 6.) • 
A. ( Corvece). Bill compressed, much higher than broad ; its tip compressed. 
Size large (i. e. over 15 inches long). Color black, or mainly black. 
Color black throughout; bill much compressed, the culmen much 
arched, and the gonys convex ; nasal bristles strong. (Page 77.) Corvus. 
B. {Nucifragece.) Bill cylindrical, scarcely or not at all higher than 
broad; its tip depressed. Size small (i. e. less than 15 inches long). Color 
uniform blue or with ashy on body, and black wings and tail. 
