154 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



/ 



*497. Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus (Bonap.). Yellow- 

 headed Blackbird. 



Icterus xanthocephalus. Agelaius xanthocephalus. Icterus icterocephalus. 

 Xanthocephalus icterocephalus. 



Geog. Dist. — ^Western North America, east to western Missouri, 

 northeastern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, northwestern Indiana, 

 northern Minnesota, Manitoba and Keewatin; north to Atha- 

 basca and southern British Columbia. Breeds from northern 

 Mexico northward locally throughout its range and winters from 

 Louisiana and Texas southward through most of Mexico. 

 Accidental stragglers in Eastern United States, Cuba and 

 Greenland. 



In Missouri the Yellow-headed Blackbird has been found breed- 

 ing west of a hne drawn from the northeast to the southwest 

 corner of the state. Mr. Ed. S. Currier took three sets of eggs 

 in Clark Co., May 28, 1895. I found several pairs, June 19, 1906, 

 at Renick's Lake, Sahne Co.; W. E. D. Scott gives the species 

 as breeding in Johnson Co. in 1874 and Mr. H. Nehrling found it 

 breeding in the eighties at Sarcoxie in Jasper Co. Its breeding 

 range was formerly more extended eastward, as Dr. A. F. Eimbeck 

 knows of its breeding in the vicinity of New Haven, where he says 

 it arrived in March and remained until November (November 

 3, 1903; November 6, 1902.) As a transient visitant it is well 

 known in western Missouri and seems to have been quite common 

 formerly. Prince of Wied mentions it on three days between 

 Leavenworth and the northwest corner of Missouri, April 22 and 

 27, 1833, when he speaks of flocks of it, and again on his return, 

 May 18, 1834. Audubon and Harris met it near the northwest 

 corner. May 9, 1843, and Dr. E. Coues found it at Fort Leaven- 

 worth. Mr. Prier gives it as a fairly common transient visitant 

 at Appleton City, St. Claire Co., in 1906, and there are several 

 migration reports from Jasper, Vernon and Jackson Counties 

 with dates varying from the last of March to the tenth of May. 

 From St. Louis southward it must be regarded as a rare straggler, 

 but was observed at Old Orchard. In St. Charles Co. it has 

 repeatedly been found singly or a few together with troops of 

 Redwings. It is also reported from Audrain Co., May 15, 1885, 

 by Mrs. Musick, and has occurred at Warsaw and Keokuk as 

 an irregular visitor. 



