1891] MARYLAND ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 139 



THE YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD "XANTOCEPHALUS 

 XANTOCEPHALUS" (BONAP) IN MARYLAND. 



By ARTHUR RESLER. 



Through tlie- courtesy of my friend, Mr. Otto Nickel, 

 to whom I am indebted for several rare birds in my 

 collection, I have received a freshly killed specimen of 

 the above named bird. 



It was obtained September 10th, near Curtis Bay, in 

 Anne Arundel County, about three-quarters of a mile 

 South of Baltimore City. 



Since this species has only been observed rarely and 

 casually in the East United States, and never to my 

 knowledge in Maryland, it seems to me worth while to 

 record the capture of this bird. 



Although my specimen agrees pretty well with the 

 descriptions given by Baird, Ridgway and others, a 

 further account of its characteristics appears to be 

 desirable. The head and neck are dirty yellow, and 

 most of the feathers have blackish tips; this feature, L e. 

 the darker tips, is characteristic of the winter plumage. 

 The whole space between the bill and the eye, as also 

 below and partly around the eye is black. The lower eye- 

 lids are yellowish. The throat and breast are yellow, 

 but the posterior border is not abruptly separated from 

 the black abdomen, since some of the yellow feathers 

 have black tips, and besides have the appearance of being 

 barred. There is also a somewhat concealed yellow spot 

 near the anus. The feathers of the lower end of the 

 thigh are likewise more or less yellowish. The remainder 

 of the body is black, with the exception of a very con- 

 spicuous white wing-patch, which is divided by a black 

 bar, consisting of the black and partly black feathers of 



