35 
GREAT CROW-BLACKBIRD. 
QUISCALUS MAJOR. 
Plate IV. Fig. 1, Male; 2, Female. 
Quiscalus major, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. XXVIII. p. 487. 
Gracula quiscala, Ord, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. I, p. 253. 
Gracula barita, Wilson, Am. Orn. VI, Index p. ym. 
Gracula quiscala, the Purple Jackdaw of the sea coast, Bartram, Travels, p. 290. 
Conus mexicanus? Gmel. Syst. I, p. 375, Sp. 42. Lath, hid, p. 164, Sp. 36, Male. 
Corvus zanoe? Gmel. Syst. I, p. 375, Sp. 44. Lath. Ind. p. 164, Sp. 37, Female. 
Pica mexicana major? Briss. Ac. II, p. 43, Sp. 4, Male. 
Pica mexicana minor? Briss. Av. II, p. 44, Sp. 5, Female. 
HHocizana? Buff. Ois. Ill, p. 103, Male. 
Le Zanoe? Buff. Ois. Ill, p. 106, Female. 
Mexican Crow? Lath. Syn. I, p. 396, Sp. 34, Male. 
Lesser mexican Crow? Lath. Syn. I, p. 397, Sp. 36, Female. 
Hocitzanatl, sen magnus Sturnus? Hernand. Hist. An. Nov. Hisp. p. 21, Male. 
Tzanahoei? Hernand. Hist. An. Nov. Hisp. p. 22, Female. 
Hoitzanatl? Ray, Syn. Av. p. 162, Male. 
Tzanahoei, seu Pica mexicana Hernandezii? Ray, Syn. Av. p. 162, Female. 
Philadelphia Museum, No. 1582, Male; No. 1583, Female. 
No part of natural history has been more confused than that 
lelating to North and South American birds of black plumage; 
which is by no means surprising, when we recollect that they are 
chiefly destitute of coloured markings, and that the greater number 
of admitted species, are founded on the short and inexact descrip¬ 
tions of travellers, who have neglected to observe their forms, 
habits, and characters. But little aid has been derived from the 
wretched plates hitherto given, for they seem better suited to 
increase the confusion than to exemplify the descriptions to which 
they aie annexed, and every succeeding compiler has aggravated, 
