Var. purpureus, Bartram.
PURPLE GRAKLE.
Gracula quiscala, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, (ed. 10,) 1758, 109 (Monedula purpurea, Cal.); I, (ed. 12,) 1766, 165.—Gmelin, I, 1788, 397.—Latham, Ind. I, 1790, 191.—Wilson, Am. Orn. III, 1811, 44, pl. xxi, f. 4. Chalcophanes quiscalus, Wagler, Syst. Av. 1827 (Gracula).—Cab. Mus. Hein. 1851, 196. ? ? Oriolus ludovicianus, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 387; albino var. ? ? Oriolus niger, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 393. ? Gracula purpurea, Bartram, Travels, 1791, 290. Quiscalus versicolor, Vieillot, Analyse? 1816.—Ib. Nouv. Dict. XXVIII, 1819, 488.—Ib. Gal. Ois. I, 171, pl. cviii.—Bon. Obs. Wils. 1824, No. 45.—Ib. Am. Orn. I, 1825, 45, pl. v.—Ib. List, 1838.—Ib. Conspectus, 1840, 424.—Sw. F. Bor.-Am. II, 1831, 485.—Nuttall, Man. I, 1832, 194.—Aud. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 35; V, 1838, 481 (not the pl. vii.).—Ib. Syn. 1839, 146.—Ib. Birds Am. IV, 1842, 58 (not the pl. ccxxi.).—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 575. Gracula barita, Ord., J. A. N. Sc. I, 1818, 253. “Quiscalus purpureus, Licht.”—Cassin, Pr. A. N. Sc., 1866, 403.—Ridgway, Pr. A. N. S. 1869, 133.—Allen, B. E. Fla. 291 (in part). Quiscalus nitens, Licht. Verz. 1823, No. 164. Quiscalus purpuratus, Swainson, Anim. in Menag. 1838, No. 55. Purple Grakle, Pennant, Arctic Zoöl. II.
Sp. Char. Length about 12.50; wing, 5.50; tail, 4.92; culmen, 1.24; tarsus, 1.28. Second quill longest, hardly perceptibly (only .07 of an inch) longer than the first and third, which are equal; projection of primaries beyond secondaries, 1.56; graduation of tail, .92. General appearance glossy black; whole plumage, however, brightly glossed with reddish-violet, bronzed purple, steel-blue, and green; the head and neck with purple prevailing, this being in some individuals more bluish, in others more reddish; where most blue this is purest anteriorly, becoming more violet on the neck. On other portions of the body the blue and violet forming an iridescent zone on each feather, the blue first, the violet terminal; sometimes the head is similarly marked. On the abdomen the blue
generally predominates, on the rump the violet; wings and tail black, with violet reflection, more bluish on the latter; the wing-coverts frequently tipped with steel-blue or violet. Bill, tarsi, and toes pure black; iris sulphur-yellow.
Hab. Atlantic States, north to Nova Scotia, west to the Alleghanies.
Var. purpureus.
This form is more liable to variation than any other, the arrangement of the metallic tints varying with the individual; there is never, however, an approach to the sharp definition and symmetrical pattern of coloration characteristic of the western race.
The female is a little less brilliant than the male, and slightly smaller. The young is entirely uniform slaty-brown, without gloss.