812 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



There is even a greater discrepancy in size between the sexes, the 

 female being scarcely more than half the bulk of the male. The 

 latter is black, with the head, neck, and jugulum yellow. 



Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus (Bonap.) 



YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. 



Icterus xanthocephalus Bp. Jour. Phil. Ac. v, 1S26. 222.— AuD. Biog. v. 1839, 6, pi. 388. 

 Agelaius xanthocephalus Sw. & BiCH, F. B.-A. ii. 1831. 281.— AuD. Synop. 1839,240; B. ' 

 Am. iv, 1842,24. pi. 213. 

 Agelaius longipes Sw. Phllo. Mag. 1, 1827, 436. 

 Icterus persp I cillatus Wagl. Isis, 1829, 758. 



Icterus icterocephalus Bp. Am. Cm. i, 1885. 27, pi. 3.— Nutt. Man. 1, 1832. 176 ; 2d ed. 1840, 187. ' 

 Xanthocephalus icterocephalusBAiitD.B. N.Am. 1858,531; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859. No. 

 404.— CouES, Key 1872,156; Check List,1874. No. 213; 2d ed. 1882,No. 319; B. N. W. 

 1874. 188.— B. B. & K. Hist. N. Am. B. ii, 1874, 167, pi. 32. flg. 9. pi. 33, fig. 9.— Eedgw. 

 Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 260. 



Hab. Western North America, regularly to Wisconsin, Illinois, Kansas, etc., 

 (casually) to Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Florida and Cuba, north to the Saskatche- 

 wan, and south into Mexico. Accidental in Greenland. 



Sp. Chak. Adult male in summer. Head, neck, and jugulum yellow, varying from 

 a lemon to a rich orange shade— very rarely to a pinkish saffron hue; primary coverts 

 and lower greater wing-coverts white; rest of plumage uniform dull black, the lower 

 portiou of the tibia; ajid the feathers' immediately surrounding the anus yellow; lores, 

 eyelids and feathers bordering the base of the bill, also black. Adult male in winter. 

 Similar, but top of the head and nape washed with dusky. Total length about lO^-llH 

 inches; extent 17-18;i ; wing 5.C5-5.80; tail 4.50-4.85; cuUnen .90; tarsus 1.30; middle toe 1.05, 

 Adult emale. Brownish dusky, the throat and jugulum dull yellow, the middle of the 

 breast mixed with whitish. Total length about 9 inches; extent 14?2; wing 4.40-4.65; tail 

 4.50-4.70. Young malt- in first lointer. Similar to the adult/emoie, but larger and deeper 

 colored. Young, firs't plumage. General color light isabella-brown, or dull brownish 

 buff, the wings and tail dusky. 



The Yellow-headed Blackbird appears to be confined to the prairie 

 districts of the northern portion of the State ; at least there seems to 

 be no record of its occurrence elsewhere. The writer thought he 

 once heard its note at Mt. Carmel, but was unable to discover the 

 bird, and may have been mistaken ; and he was never able to find 

 it on the prairies of Eichland county, in marshy situation where 

 the Eed-wings were abundant. In Cook county, Mr. Nelson says 

 (page 111 of his list) that it is a "very common resident in large 

 marshes. Arrives the first of May. Commences nesting the last of 

 this month. Owing to the restricted locahties inhabited by this bird, 

 it is very slightly known among farmers ; even those living next the 

 marshes, generally think it an uncommon bird. My observations 

 regarding the actions of the males during incubation do not agree 

 with those of Dr. Coues ("Birds of the Northwest," p. 190). The only 

 difference between the habits of the male and female is the slightly 



