56 
THE BOAT-TAILED GRAKLE. 
I found this species abundant and breeding along the shores of the Gulf 
of Mexico, from the mouths of the Mississippi to within the maritime por- 
tions of the Texas, in every suitable place, forming its nests principally 
among the tall reeds of the salt mars s. The eggs measure one inch three- 
eighths in length, and seven-eighths in breadth, being of an elongated oval 
form. The name of Bob-tailed Grakle has been of late given to our Com- 
mon Crow Blackbird, Quiscalus versicolor , which in my opinion is improper, 
in our country at least, where all original well-known names ought to be 
retained, were it for no other reason than to prevent inconvenience to 
students. No one in Kentucky, for example, would know what was meant 
by “ Little Rusty-crowned Falcon,” but would point out at once to any 
inquirer the “ Sparrow Hawk.” 
Quiscalus major, Bonap. Syn., p. 54. 
Great Crow Blackbird, Quiscalus major, Bonap. Amer. Orn., vol. i. p. 35. 
Great Croav Blackbird, Quiscalus major, Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 192. 
Boat-tailed Grakle, or Great Croav Blackbird, Quiscalus major, Aud. Orn. 
Biog., vol. ii. p. 504 ; vol. v. p. 480. 
Tail very long, graduated, with the feathers slightly concave above. Male 
with the plumage silky, splendent, the head and neck deep purplish-blue, 
the back, breast, and sides deep blue, passing into green behind, the rump 
bronzed black ; the wings and tail black, glossed with green, the abdomen, 
lower tail coverts, and tibial feathers, plain black. Female much smaller, 
Avith the tail shorter, the plumage unglossed beneath, and but slightly glossy 
above, the upper parts dusky, Avith slight tints of green and blue ; the head 
and neck dull brown ; the loAver parts light yellowish-brown, the tibial 
feathers and lower tail-coverts dusky. 
Male, 15|, 231. Female, 12#, 18. 
Abundant from Texas to North Carolina along the coast. Up the 
Mississippi about 200 miles. .Constantly resident. 
In a male, from the mouths of the Mississippi, preserved in spirits, the 
palate is convex, with two longitudinal ridges, anteriorly with a middle 
and two lateral ndges. The tongue is 1 inch 2 twelfths long, slender, horny 
neaidy in its whole length, sagittate and papillate at the base, concave above, 
its gi’eatest breadth 2? twelfths, tapering to a lacerated thin point, and with 
the edges also lacerated for nearly half an inch from the tip. The posterior 
aperture of the nares is oblong behind, linear before, Avith strong papillae on 
the edges. The oesophagus is twelfths long, its width 7 tAvelfths at the 
commencement, then contracting to 4 twelfths, again slightly dilated to 5 
twelfths ; the proven triculus also 5 tAvelfths in width, its glands forming a 
belt *li twelfths in breadth. The stomach is elliptical, 1 inch 2 twelfths 
