12. HEDYMELES. 63 



p. 275 (1874) ; Baird, Brewer, 8,- Ridgw. Hist. N. Amer. B. ii. 



p. 73 (1874) ; Hensh. Rep. Zool. Expl. 100th Merid. p. 296 (1875) ; 



Salv. Cat. Strickl. Coll. p. 218 (1882) ; id. $ Godm. Biol. Centr.- 



Amer., Aves, i. p. 338 (1884). 

 Goniaphea melanocephala, Gray, Hand-l. B. ii. p. 103, no. 7547 



(1870); Coues, Key N. Amer. B. p. 149 (1872); id. B. N.-West, 



p. 167 (1874). 

 Hedymeles melanocephalus, var. capitalis, Baird, Brewer, Sy Ridgiv. 



Hist. N. Amer. B. ii. p. 70 (1874). 

 Zamelodia melanocephala, Coues, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, v. p. 98 



(1880) ; Ridgiv. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. ii. p. 27 (1881) ; Coues, 



Check-list, p. 59 (1882) ; id. Key JV. Amer. B. 2nd ed. p. 389 



(1884). 

 Habia melanocephala. Stejneger, Auk, i. p. 367 (1884) ; A. 0. U. 



Check-list N. Amer. B. p. 287 (1886). 



Adult male. General colour above black, tbe mantle mottled, 

 the feathers having black spots at the tips, with a subterminal bar 

 of white and a bar or mark of pale fawn-colour between the latter 

 and the black spot ; lower back and rump uniform fawn-colour ; 

 upper tail-coverts black, with pale fawn-coloured tips ; scapulars 

 and wing-coverts black, the inner lower coverts tipped with white 

 and the inner median coverts entirely white, forming a wing-patch ; 

 greater coverts with a white spot at the tip of the outer web ; 

 bastard-wing and primary-coverts black ; quills black, the secon- 

 daries spotted with white at the end of the outer web ; the outer 

 primaries edged with white near the end of the outer web and all 

 white at the base, forming a large white patch ; tail-feathers black, 

 the outermost with a large white mark near the end of the inner 

 web, slightly reduced on the penultimate feather, the third with a 

 mere fringe at the tip of the inner web ; head black, separated from 

 the back by a broad collar of orange-buff or fawn-colour, which 

 encircles the entire hind neck ; sides of face, ear-coverts, and fore 

 part of cheeks black, as well as the chin and the anterior half of 

 the malar line ; hinder cheeks, sides of neck, and underparts deep 

 orange-buff or fawn-colour ; the centre of the breast yellow ; the 

 centre of the abdomen, thighs, and under tail-coverts white ; axil- 

 laries and under wing-coverts clear fine yellow ; quills black below, 

 with a large white basal patch : " bill, with the upper mandible 

 dusky, the lower white ; feet and claws wood-brown ; iris hazel " 

 {Audubon). Total length 7'5 inches, culmen - 75, wing 3-95, tail 

 2-95, tarsus 0-95. 



Males in full plumage vary considerably in the markings of 

 the upper parts. In some the mantle and upper back are entirely 

 tawny, streaked with broad lines of black ; these appear to be very 

 old birds. Others have the back much mottled, the feathers being 

 broadly edged and spotted with black ; and in ivinter plumage the 

 adults seem to have the dorsal feathers very plainly edged with 

 tawny buff, while the white spots on the inner secondaries are 

 larger and more pronounced. These spots seem to get nearly worn 

 off in the breeding-season. 



Adult female. Different from the male, and not so brightly 



