220. 1. Quiscalus major, Vieill. Great Crow-Blackbird.—Boat-tailed Grakle.
Plate CLXXXVII. Male and Female.
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, with the tail shorter, the plumage unglossed beneath, and but slightly glossy above, the upper parts dusky, with slight tints of green and blue; the head and neck dull brown; the lower parts light yellowish-brown, the tibial feathers and lower tail-coverts dusky.
Male, 157/8, 233/4. Female, 125/8, 18.
Abundant from Texas to North Carolina along the coast. Up the Mississippi about 200 miles. Constantly resident.
Quiscalus major, Bonap. Syn. p. 54.
Great Crow Blackbird, Quiscalus major, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 35.
Great Crow Blackbird, Quiscalus major, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 192.
Boat-tailed Grakle or Great Crow Blackbird, Quiscalus major, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 504; v. v. p. 480.
221. 2. Quiscalus versicolor, Vieill. Common or Purple Crow-Blackbird.—Purple Grakle.
Plate VII. Male and Female.
Tail long, much rounded, with the feathers flat. Male with the plumage silky and splendent, the head, neck, and anterior part of the breast blackish, with vivid reflections of violet, steel-blue, and green; general colour of the body dusky, glossed with purple, green, and blue, these colours arranged in three terminal zones, on each feather; rump violet-purple; wings and tail black, glossed with green and blue. Female considerably smaller, with the body more brown, the reflections much less brilliant. Young brown.