502 ORNITHOLOGY. 



XANTnOCEPHALUS ICTEEOCErUALUS. 

 Ifcllow-iicadcd Blackbird. 



{Se-zooh' of the Washoes.) 



Icterus icterocephalus, Bonap., Am. Orn., I, 1835, 27, pi. 3. 



Xantlwcephalus icterocephalus, Baikd, B. N. Am., 1858, 531 ; Gat. N. Am. B., 1859, 

 No. 404.— Cooper, Orn. Gal., I, 267.— Coues, Key, 1872, 156, fig. 98; Gheck 

 List, 1873, No. 213 ; B. N.W., 1874, 188.— B. B. & 11., Hist. N. Am. B. II, 1874, 

 167,1)1. XXXII, flg. 9; pi. xxxiii, fig. 9.— Oenshaw, 1875, 315. 



Ill order to be assured of the presence of this large and conspicuous 

 species, it was only necessary to find an extensive marsh with a sufficient 

 extent of tall rushes, or, as termed in western parlance, tales. It was most 

 abundant in the vicinity of Sacramento City and along the southeastern 

 margin of the Great Salt Lake, near the mouth of the Jordan River; but it 

 was also plentiful at all intermediate points where suitable localities existed. 

 These birds generally frequent the same marshes as the Red-wings {Agelcsus), 

 but usually the two congregate in colonies in separate portions of a marsh. 

 In general- habits there is much resemblance to the Red-wings, especially 

 in their fondness for marshy localities ; but in many respects there is a 

 closer approach to the Cow-bird {Ilolothrus), notably in their very terres- 

 trial nature ; for they may be very often observed walking over the green- 

 sward of the damp meadows with a firm, stately, and graceful gait, in the 

 manner of the species alluded to above. The eggs, also, are more like those 

 of MoJotJirus than those of Agclams. 



The notes of the Yellow-headed Blackbird are among the harshest and 

 rudest we have heard in any species. Their general character is that char- 

 acteristic of most "Blackbirds" of this family, the ordinary note being a 

 deep chuch, similar to that of Quiscalus purpureus or Q. oeneus, but louder ; 

 while the song of the male is a discordant squaAvk, apparently " strained 

 out " by great effort, in a squeaking, rasping sort of way, like the similar 

 performance of Mohthrus or Quiscalus, but differing in that many of the 

 notes compare, in loudness and grating tone, with those of the Guinea lien 

 {Xuinida mdeagr'is). The singer, however, evidently thinks his perform- 

 ance pleasing, and it probably is to his mate, for he makes a great parade 



