56 
QUISCALUS MAJOR. 
with the scapulars and lesser wing-coverts, has slight 
greenish reflections; a whitish line passes from the 
nostrils over the eye, to the origin of the neck. The 
chin, throat, and breast, are dull whitish ; the anterior 
part of the breast is slightly tinged with brownish ; 
the flanks are brownish ; the belly brownish white ; 
and the vent and inferior tail-coverts are blackish 
brown, each feather being margined with pale. The 
remaining parts are of a dull brownish black, slightly 
glossed with greenish ; The secondaries, tail-coverts, 
and tail feathers, having a slight banded appearance, 
which is equally observable in the male. 
The young at first resemble the female, but have 
the irides brown, and the males gradually acquire the 
brilliant plumage of the adult. 
The great and common crow blackbirds are both 
alike distinguished by the very remarkable boat-like 
form of the tail, but the great difference of size, appear- 
ance of the females, length of the tail, prominence of 
the osseus carina, and brilliancy of colouring, most 
obviously prove them to be altogether specifically 
distinct. 
The great crow blackbird inhabits the southern part 
of the Union, where it is called jackdaw; Georgia and 
Florida appear to be its favourite residence. The 
disposition of this species is extremely social, and they 
frequently mingle with the common crow blackbird; 
vast flocks are seen among the sea islands and neigh- 
bouring marshes on the main land, where they feed at 
low water, on the oyster beds and sand flats. 
The chuck of our species is shriller than that of the 
common crow blackbird, and it has other notes which 
resemble the noise made by a watchman’s rattle ; their 
song is only heard in the spring, and though the concert 
they make is somewhat melancholy, it is not altogether 
disagreeable. Their nests are built in company, on 
reeds and bushes, in the neighbourhood of marshes 
and ponds ; they lay about five eggs, which are whitish, 
spotted with dark brown. 
Mr Ord mentions in his paper, that the first specimens 
