Ornithologists ,are »variance, >as KÉ|the classification of
these'^s^eoie^sî. Linné and Latham improperly referred Ahem! ; to
Graculm; Daudin, with nonhettèr reason,; pfefced; them wider .Stumus;
Temminck them as Ictn'i\ jfejajJëhoas tCamcffiiand.
has formed a new genus forÆhéiai- xecepMo»;;«* I have no.hésitation
in „agreeing dattert author,, and. adopt,Kis name of; Quismlus',-
but I add tO’thefgepji£,taà'èônstituted by him, Ûr^jf^iâpula.féimgme.a,
j$hich he regarded as a and which other authors
arranged in several • different genera, making ^ofi it a profusion,.nL
(dominai é p ^ ie^ |n Wilson; judiciously* included ' tha*i^spfecie®iio, the
same.genus' with Ahyse above mentioned, although other authors .had
placed it in
.^ The genus ■Quimalm fis pecidiar to; America#,;and is composed /ifr
founi^l'l(ascertained species,.three of which are found inJhesBJmted
States : these are# iQuisqalus majer^f»it)ersicolqr, .and«ferrUginem? the
fourth, Qutocdjkis baritus, .inhabits the Westpludiess.. and probably
jâoujh. America.*,
. The (species- of. this genus are gregarious^ anduotnnivoron»;^ their:
fopd-being composetLofiimsects,-; corn, and small grains^thbsaa'ssfstMg“
and plundering (the agriculturist at the same time. When the first
European ■ settlements» <wejfe formed in North America',n the havoc
madej^p thesgj birds and the iTrodpials in the grain fields; Jwas- fso^.
great, that a premium was given fOrf their- heads. Their destruction?
was,» < (^silydeflected, as they are not #[y, and are more easily ';
approached- as, .their, numbers decrease; but.the evil, which resulted
from exterminating so many of these birds, was as unexpected
as irremediable. > Thej com- and pastures- were so -devoured by,
worms a n d , msects,; that the inhabitants were;* obliged tp •fpar^.
the birds, in;iÇ?rdeu/$o avert- a scourge which had been previously
unknown. As. population -increases, and a greater quantity of
* We call the present species Quiscalus major, agreeably i^yiefllot,' who certainly
intended this bird, although his description is a mere; indication.
grain- is4;MM^ited^thel r ^ a !gesli©ft«tli&sct.birds- become -less perceptible,
ianfiUt^^^hr-ytheyjHi4S'eMtl®mparati.vely trifling.
, TWs(38e^^SwiBla'cEfelrlf i^ntfore^tbatet'sixteen inches long, and
fwmtystwtMuiiResitefitsH"The* bill; from- the* angle of the mouth; is
,V'@%$-iinch andfthaefe^ 4narterg^andlii^Ht^®Lcfttiry*lilae that- of the feet, is
blfeck^ thedroaftjofikthei mouthhi&i furnished with a slights osseous
car-inatj p # 4 - y l f ^ ^ |f t« e ; ;geheFal. appearance of thd
bird is«. rtholdibhcad^^tbi neck having bluish-puiple
iefle'©1aoiis';l«the'iEftersd^piilariFCgronyhreast5>belly, sides, and smaller
Wing coverts,are i|J<^^l^eldflue<;. .the -ba&kf rump^ Md middling
wing tfe^erfes, .'are gloSsed (with Scupper-green; ‘ the went,'inferior tall
coverts, and thighs, are plain black. The mndescribed parts of the
wings are deep black, slightly glossed» witb-gTeeKfras well as the tail,
which ‘is i cuneiform.1, capable ofiassudiingeal boat^shaped appearance#
arid iSaeuearefe nearly eight in lengthr.-ftom its insertion#
sui-passing the dpt of; the- wings' by fivksfinchesm-)
The female wb0nsidbrably;^^4feB>?measuring only twelve and a
half inches in length, and seufenteMinches-and a half'in extent. The
bill,, from thdangls oJK thetinouth, > istone inch and a half long, and#
with the, f^el,fis black; the irides«'&re of EdsiilT-paler- yellow than
thosetfoft the inale. The* head' and. neck abol«®/;airC?.-light brown,
graduallyjp£6Ssiaigr in te ‘ dbsky; ^©Wards the back), which/ with the
scapulars andfr l^serliwing# . coverts,^iha^i slight 'greenish reflections j
a whitish line passe®from the?-nostrils. over, the.' ey^ffo the origin of
the neck. -The ehin, throat,- and breastare*.dull whitish; the anterior'
part of the breast ;iS slightly tingedi with brownish^ the flanks are
brownish; the; belly brownish-white;.. and the-vent and inferior tail
coverts;;are- blackish-brown, each* feather being' margined with pale*
The remainingrparts are of a1 dull brownish-black*, slightly glossed
with greenish ;\ the« secondaries,.taili covertsjv and tail! feathers, having
a slight banded appearance, which is equally observable; in the male.
The young at first resemble thedemale# but have the irides brown,
and the males gradually* acquire the brilliant plumage of the adult.