Part 77

Breeds from Texas to the Fur Countries. Resident in the Southern States. Extremely abundant.

Purple Grakle, Gracula quiscala, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 44.

Purple Grakle, Gracula quiscala, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 42.

Gracula quiscala, Bonap. Syn. p. 54.

Common Crow Blackbird, Quiscalus versicolor, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 194; v. v. p. 481.

Quiscalus versicolor, Common Purple Boat-tail, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 485.

Purple Grakle or Common Crow Blackbird, Quiscalus versicolor, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 35; v. v. p. 481.

222. 3. Quiscalus ferrugineus, Lath. Rusty Crow-Blackbird.--Rusty Grakle.

Plate CXLVII. Male, Female, and Young.

Tail of moderate length, slightly rounded. Male with the plumage glossy black, with green and bluish reflections, the feathers, when new, slightly margined with reddish. Female with the plumage somewhat duller, a reddish band over, and another under, the eye. Young with the head and neck light brown, the rest of the upper parts brownish-black, the feathers edged with light reddish-brown, the rump tinged with grey; a band over the eye, and the fore part and sides of the neck and body pale yellowish-brown; abdomen dusky, lower tail-coverts dusky brown.

Male, 9-1/2, 14-1/4.

From Texas to Maryland, and along the Mississippi and Ohio to Kentucky, during winter. Migrates northward to the Fur Countries, and to the Columbia River, in summer. Common.

Rusty Grakle, Gracula ferruginea, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 41.

Quiscalus ferrugineus, Bonap. Syn. p. 55.

Scolecophagus ferrugineus, Rusty Maggot-eater, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 286.

Rusty Blackbird, Quiscalus ferrugineus, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 199.

Rusty Grakle, Quiscalus ferrugineus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 325; v. v. p. 483.

FAMILY XVII. STURNINÆ. STARLINGS.

Bill nearly as long as the head, moderately stout, or rather slender, nearly straight, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with its outline straight, slightly convex toward the tip, the ridge somewhat flattened, the sides sloping and convex, the edges sharp and overlapping, with a very slight or obsolete notch, close to the depressed tip; lower mandible with the angle long and rather acute, the crura rather broad and flat at the base, the dorsal line straight, the edges sharp, the tip slender; gape-line ascending gently at the base, then direct. Head ovate or oblong, flattened above; neck of moderate length; body rather full. Feet moderately stout; tarsus rather short, compressed, with seven anterior scutella; toes moderate, or rather long, the first stouter, the lateral toes equal, the outer adherent at the base. Claws rather long, moderately arched, compressed, acute. Plumage rather compact. Wings of moderate length, with the first quill very small, the third and fourth longest. Tail short or of moderate length, rounded, and generally emarginate. Roof of upper mandible with a median ridge; tongue slender, thin-edged, with the tip slit and lacerated; œsophagus without dilatation; stomach roundish, its muscular coat rather thin, the epithelium dense, and longitudinally rugous; intestine of moderate length and width; cœca very small, cylindrical; cloaca ovate or oblong. Trachea simple, with four pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest on the ground, or in cavities; eggs about five.

GENUS I. STURNELLA, Vieill. MEADOW-STARLING.

Bill rather long, almost straight, conico-subulate, depressed toward the end; upper mandible with the ridge somewhat flattened, the edges sharp and overlapping; the tip narrow, but rounded; lower mandible with the outline straight, the ridge convex, the sides ascending; the tip slightly rounded. Nostrils oval, with an arched membrane above. Head of ordinary size, depressed; neck of moderate length; body rather full. Feet of moderate length, strong; tarsus distinctly scutellate; lateral toes nearly equal, hind toe stout. Claws arched, compressed, acute, that of the hind toe large. Plumage rather compact. Upper eyelid margined with strong bristles. Wings of moderate length, broad; the second, third, and fourth quills longest; one of the inner secondaries nearly as long when the wing is closed. Tail short, much rounded, of twelve acute feathers.

223. 1. Sturnella Ludoviciana, Linn. Crescent Meadow-Starling.--Meadow Lark.

Plate CXXXVI. Male and Female.

Upper parts variegated with dark brown, bay, and dull yellowish, the latter bordering the feathers; those of the hind parts of the back barred, as are the secondary quills and their coverts; primary quills dark brown, margined, the outer with whitish, the rest with pale yellowish; edge of the wing yellow; three outer tail-feathers white, with a dash of black on the outer web near the end, the next feather also more or less white, and barred on the outer web; on the upper part of the head a central and two lateral bands of brownish-yellow, the lateral hand sometimes white, anteriorly tinged with yellow; sides of the head and neck greyish-white, flanks and lower tail-coverts reddish-white, streaked with black; fore neck and breast rich yellow, the former with a large crescent of black. Female smaller, but otherwise similar.

Male, 11-2/12, 16-1/2.

Breeds from Texas to the Columbia River, and along the Atlantic coast to Nova Scotia and the Fur Countries. Resident in the Southern and Western States. Abundant.

Meadow Lark, Alauda magna, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 20.

Sturnus ludovicianus, Bonap. Syn.