488 ornithology. 



ITedymeles melanocephalus. 



Biack-lie:>d«d Grosbeak. 



{Look' -em of the Washoes; Uni-gu'-eet of the Paiutes.) 



Gulram mclanocephala, SWAINSON, Philos. Mag., I, 1827, 438.— Baird, Birds N. 



Am., 1858, 498; Cat. N. Am. Birds, 1859, No. 381.— Cooper, Oru. Cal., I, 



1870, 228. 

 Hedymeles nielanocephalus, (]abanis, Mus. Heiu., I, 1851, 153. — B. B. & It , Hist. 



N. Am. Birds, II, 1874, 73, pi. XXX, figs. 1, 2.— Henshaw, 1875, 296. 

 Ooniaphea (Hedymeles) mclanocephala, Gray, Haud List, I, 1869, No. 7547. 

 Goniaphea mclanocephala, Coues, Key, 1872, 149 ; Ciieck List, 1873, No. 194; Birds 



N.W., 1874, 167. 



This fine bird was quite abundant in the fertile valleys and lower 

 canons along the entire route, from Sacramento to the Wahsatcli and 

 Uintahs. Its range was exactly that of Oyanospiza amcena, and it was 

 observed that in the Interior both these species reached their upper 

 limit about where the summer range of Pyranga ludoviciana commenced, 

 viz, about the middle portion of the canons. It was abundant both at 

 Sacramento and in the valley of the Truckee, in western Nevada, but was 

 nearly restricted in the former locality to the willow thickets, while in the 

 latter it preferred the shrubbery of buffalo-berry and other bushes. At 

 the latter locality it was observed to feed, in May, upon the buds of the 

 grease- wood (Ohione confertifoUa), in company with Pyranga ludoviciana, 

 Icterus buUocki, and several other birds. It was also found in the shrub- 

 bery along the lower portion of the mountain-streams, but was there less 

 numerous than in the river-valleys, while at an altitude of about 7,000 

 feet it appeared to be entirel}^ absent. It was consequently rare in Par- 

 ley's Park, where, however, a few pairs were nesting in the thickets 

 along the sti-eams. It Avas very frequently observed that the male of this 

 species assists in incubation, being, in fact, more often seen on the nest 

 than his mate. 



This species appcai-s to he a perfect counterpart of the eastern Rose- 

 breasted Grosbeak (//. ludoviriaiuis), its notes especially, in all their varia- 

 tions, being quite the same. 



