WITH BROWN PREDOMINATING 253 



parents do. But this is only a small part of the hunt- 

 ing, for the Green-tail uses his bill more and his heels 

 less in procuring his food than do others of his kind. 

 Insects and seeds of all sorts are his chief diet. 



596. BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. — Zamelodia 

 melanocephala. 



Family : The Finches, Sparrows, etc. 



Length: 7.50-8.90. 



Adult Male: Upper parts mostly black ; rump and collar light chest- 

 nut ; wings and tail black ; two white wing-bars ; under parts buffy 

 cinnamon, changing to lemon-yellow, on belly and under wing- 

 coverts. 



Adult Female : Upper parts blackish brown, streaked with buffy ; collar 

 and under ports buffy ; sides streaked ; belly pale yellowish ; under 

 wing-coverts lemon-yellow. 



Young : Similar to adult female, but without yellow on belly ; and back 

 mottled, not streaked. 



Geographical Distribution : Western United States, east to Gieat Plains, 

 south to Mexico. 



California Breeding Range : Upper Sonoran and Transition zones through- 

 out the State. 



Breeding Season : k\^\•\\, May, and June. 



Nest : In trees or bushes, usually 5 to 20 feet from the ground ; made of 

 twigs, weed stems, grass, and rootlets. 



Eggs: 2 or .3 ; bluish white, speckled and blotched with rusty brown. 

 ' Size 0.92 X 0.69. 



Among the alders that border small streams in the 

 valley, in the cherry orchards at cherry time, in tlie 

 potato field when bugs are rife, in the oaks and ever- 

 greens of the lower Sierra Nevada, one may hear the 

 metallic " eek, eek," of the Bhick-headed Grosbeak. But 

 do not judge his vocal powers by tliis squeaky call-note, 

 for he is a delightful musician. Unlike most woodland 

 singers, he chooses the sunny hours of the midday for 



