FRINaiLLID^ — THE FINCHES. 73 



small groves on the banks of streams. Their nests are coarsely built, with 

 a base composed of waste stubble, fragments of leaves, and stems of plants. 

 These are intermingled with and strengthened by twigs and coarser stems. 

 They have a diameter of eight inches, and a height of tln^ee and a half. 

 The upper portion of the nest is usually composed of dry usnea mosses, 

 mingled with a few twigs, and lined with finer twigs. Its cavity is three 

 inches in diameter and one in depth, being quite shallow for so large a nest. 



The eggs bear some resemblance to those of the Pyrangce, but are usually 

 much larger, though they vary greatly in size. Their ground-color is usually 

 a light but well-marked shade of verdigris-green, varying occasionally to a 

 greenish-white, and are marked, more or less, over their entire surface, with 

 blotches of reddish-brown. They vary in length from 1.05 to .90 of an inch, 

 and from .78 to .60. 



During incubation, and in the presence of its mate, this Grosbeak is a 

 persistent and enthusiastic singer, and, at times, carries his love of song so 

 far as to betray his nest. This is more especially so when he relieves his 

 mate, takes her place on the nest, and then, apparently oblivious of the dan- 

 ger of lifting up his voice in song when upon so responsible a duty, attracts, 

 by his melody, the oologist to liis treasures. 



Dr. Hoy, of Eacine, supplies some interesting information in regard to the 

 habits and nesting of this species. On the 15th of June, within six miles 

 of that city, he found seven nests, all within a space of not over five acres, 

 and he was assured that each year they resort to the same locality and nest 

 thus socially. Six of these nests were in thorn-trees, all were within six to 

 ten feet from the ground, and all were in the central portion of the top. 

 Three of the four parent birds sitting on the nests were males, and this he 

 was told was usually the case. When a nest was disturbed, all the neighbor- 

 ing Grosbeaks gathered around and appeared equally interested. Both nest 

 and eggs so closely resemble those of the Tanagers that it is difficult to dis- 

 tinguish them. Their position is, however, usually different, the Grosbeaks 

 generally nesting in the central portion of a small tree, the Tanagers' being 

 placed on a horizontal limb. 



Hedymeles melanocephalus, Swainson. 



BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. 



Guiraca melanocephala, Sw. Syn. Mex. Birds Pliilos. Mag. I, 1827, 438. — Bon. List, 1838. 

 — Ib. Consp. 1850, 502. — Baird, Birds K. Am. 1858, 498. — Cooper & Suckley, 206. 

 Coccothraustes melanocejyhala, Rich. List, Pr. Brit. Ass. for 1836, 1837. Fringilla 

 mdanocephala, AuD. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 519, pi. ccclxxiii. Coccoborus melanocephalus, 

 AuD. Synopsis, 1839, 133. — Ib. Birds Am. Ill, 1841, 214, pi. 206. — Heerm. X, S, 

 51 (nest). — Cooper, Orn. Cal. I, 228. Goniaphea melanoccphnla, Sclater ? Hedy- 

 meles melanocephala, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. 1851, 153. Fringilla xanthoma schalis, 

 Wagler, Isis, 1831, 525. Pitylus quttatus. Lesson, Rev. Zobl. II, 1839, 102. 

 ? Guiraca tricolor, Lesson, Rev. Zool. II, 1839, 102. 



OL. II. 10 



