PERCHING BIRDS 



595. ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. 

 ludoviciana. 



Zamelodia 



Greenish blue 



Range. United States, 

 east of the Plains, breed- 

 ing from the Middle States 

 and Ohio north to Mani- 

 toba and Nova Scotia. 



This beautiful black and 

 white bird with rosy red 

 breast and under wing cov- 

 erts, is one of the most 



pleasing of our songsters. They nest either in 

 bushes or trees, generally between six and 

 twenty feet from the ground and usually in 

 thick clumps of trees or scrubby apple trees. 

 The three or four eggs, which are laid in June, 

 are greenish blue, spotted, most heavily about 

 the larger end, with reddish brown. Size 1.00 

 x .75. Data. Worcester, Mass., June 5, 1899. 

 Nest of twigs and rootlets in small apple tree 

 in woods ; nest very frail, eggs showing through 

 the bottom. 



5.96'.. .BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. 

 Zamelodia melanocephala. 



Range. United 

 States, west of 

 the Plains, breed- 

 ing from Mexico 

 north to British 

 Columbia ; w i ri- 



ters south of the 

 Pale greenish white United states< 



This species is of the size of the last 

 (8 inches long), and is a bright cinna- 

 mon brown color with black head, and 

 black and white wings and tail. The 

 habits of this bird are the same as 

 those of the Rosebreasted Grosbeak 

 and its song is very similar but more 

 lengthy. Their nests, like those of the 

 last, are very flimsy structures placed 

 in bushes or trees, usually below twen- 

 ty feet from the ground; they are open 

 frameworks of twigs, rootlets and 

 weed stalks, through which the eggs 

 can be plainly seen. The eggs are 

 similar to those of the preceding but 

 are usually of a paler color, the mark- 

 ings, therefore showing with greater 

 distinctness. Size 1.00 x .70. 



Rose-breasted Grosbeak 



J. B. Pardoe. 

 NEST OP ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. 



365 



