554 
U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS—ZOOLOGY—GENERAL REPORT. 
Comparative measurements of species. 
Catal. 
No. 
Species. 
Locality. 
Sex. 
Length. 
Stretch of 
wings. 
Wing. 
Tail. 
Tarsus. 
Middle toe. 
Its claw 
alone. 
Hind toe 
and claw. 
Hind toe 
alone. 
Bill above. 
Along gape. 
Specimen 
measured. 
3948 
Quiscalus macrourus... 
Brownsville, Texas .. 
<J 
18.20 
7.48 
9.26 
1.92 
1.80 
0.45 
1.30 
0.55 
1.58 
1.74 
Skin .... 
18.00 
21.50 
7.50 
pi r p S h 
8088 
O 9 
16.00 
6.96 
8.10 
2.03 
1.88 
0.48 
1.44 
0.62 
1.60 
1.76 
Skin 
3949 
v • 
9 
12.80 
5.68 
6.32 
1.54 
1.50 
0.47 
1.13 
0.56 
1.26 
1.46 
Skin 
13.00 
17.00 
5 50 
4923 
S 
14.10 
6.94 
7.34 
1.98 
1.82 
0.46 
1.34 
0.59 
1.52 
1.64 
15 00 
22.00 
7.00 
2104 
$ 
11.10 
5.70 
5.72 
1.34 
1.30 
0.37 
0 98 
0.46 
1.24 
1.36 
Skin 
13.00 
18.00 
6.00 
1363 
s 
11.40 
5.60 
5.54 
1.46 
1.32 
0.34 
1.00 
0.48 
1.24 
1.31 
1364 
o 
10.04 
4.96 
4.86 
1.28 
1.14 
0.30 
0.88 
0.42 
1.12 
1.22 
6529 
Quiscalus baritus. 
Key Biscayne, Fla... 
<? 
10.40 
5.08 
5.24 
1.38 
1.27 
0.38 
0.98 
0.45 
1.35 
1.48 
Skin .... 
QUISCALUS MACROURUS, Sw. 
Great-tailed Grakle. 
Quiscalus macrourus, Swainson, Anim. in Menag. 2| centen. 1838, 299, fig. 51, a. 
Chalchophanes macrourus, Cab. Mus. Hein. 1851, 196. 
Sp. Ch.—B ill longer than the head, edge slightly sinuated. Feathers of the crown short, close, and velvet-like. Tail very long, 
equaling the head and body, the lateral feathers 3| inches the shortest. Wing considerably shorter than the tail ; third quill 
longest ; first longer than the fifth. General color a lustrous black ; the head and neck, fore part of back, and under parts with 
a purple violet gloss ; the rest of back, wings, and tail, including under coverts, glossed with green, the colors blending insen¬ 
sibly. Length 18 inches ; wing, 7.50 ; tail, 9.30 ; bill above, 1.70. 
Ilab .—Valley of the lower Rio Grande of Texas, southward. 
The graduation of tail in this species is very great, the distances between tlie tips of the outer 
tail feather and the next being 1.30 inches, and decreasing successively with the rest. There is 
something quite peculiar in the softness and closeness of the feathers on the bead, wbick stand 
almost erect like tlie pile of velvet. 
The female is much smaller and of a dark olive brown, lightest on the head and beneath. 
There is a strong tinge of brownish yellow in the throat; rather less of it on the side of the 
head, where there is a faint indication of a dusky streak behind the eye. 
This species is somewhat like the Quiscalus major of the southern States, but is much larger; 
the tail especially is more highly developed, being nearly two inches longer than the wing 
instead of nearly the same size. The soft velvety feathers of the head are quite peculiar. The 
feet are of nearly the same size. The first primary is shorter in proportion. The color is quite 
different; the purple gloss extending further down the back, and the entire under parts being 
purple instead of green. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
When col¬ 
lected. 
Whence obtained. 
Orig’l 
No. 
Collected by— 
Length. 
Stretch 
of wings 
Wing. 
Remarks. 
3948 
<? 
Brownsville, Tex.... 
Mar. 28,1853 
Capt. Van Vliet. 
23 
18.00 
21.50 
7.50 
Eyes yellow . 
n 
T . _ rp 
.do. 
24 
13.00 
17.00 
5.50 
9 
8oo3 
8551 
8088 
- .| 
