FIlIXdlLLID.E — Tin-: FINrilES. 



:] 



small ^rovos on tlu' l>aiiks ot streams. Their msts are rnnrscly Imilt, witli 

 a Ikisc com|M)SL'tl of waste stiil»l>le, IraLjmeiits ot leaves, and stems ol" j.laiits. 

 These are iuterminj^led with and streii^^theued l»y twij»8 ami coarser stems. 

 Tliey have a diameter of eij^dit imhes, and a hei^dit of tliree and a half. 

 The uitjter j)ortion of the nest is nsually eoniposed of drv usina masses, 

 minu'led with a few twii^s, and lined with tiner twin's. Its cavity is three 

 inches in diameter and one in depth, hein^^ (juiti' shallow for so lari^e a nest. 



The e^'«^s hoar some resenddance to those of the I'iirnmia\ hut are usually 

 nnich lar;^er, thou;j;h they vary j.ireatly in size. Their i^round-color is usually 

 a li.uht hut well-marked shade of verdigris-i^Teen, varynig occasionally to a 

 •Meenish-white, and are marked, more or less, over tiieir entire surface, with 

 Idotches of reddish-hrown. They v.iry in length from l.U") to ."JO of an inch, 

 and from .78 to .60. 



During incuhation, and in the ])resence of its niate, this (Irosbeak is a 

 persistent and enthusiastic singer, and, at times, carries iiis love of song so 

 far as to hetray his nest. This is more es]>ecially so when he ndieves his 

 mate, takes her place on the nest, and then, apparently ol)li\ ions of tlie dan- 

 ger of lifting up his voice in song when upon so responsible a duty, attracts, 

 by his melody, the oologist to his treasures. 



Dr. Hoy, of Kacine, supplies some interesting information in regard to the 

 habits and nesting of this species. On the ir>th of dune, witliin si.\ miles 

 of that city, he found seven nests, all within a sjtace of not over five acres, 

 and he was assured that each vear thev resort to the same localitv and nest 

 thus socially. Six of these nests were in tlajrn-trees, all were within si.\ to 

 ten feet from the ground, and all were in the central jMirtion of the top. 

 Three of the four ])arent birds sitting on the nests were males, and this he 

 was t(dd was usually the ease. When a nest was disturbed, all the neighbor- 

 ing (irosbeaks gathered around and api)eared etjually interested. I'oth nest 

 and eggs so closely resemble those of the Tanagers that it is dithcult to dis- 

 tinguish them. Their position is, however, usually different, the (irosbeaks 

 generally nesting in the central portion of a small tree, the Tanagers' being 

 placed on a liorizontal limb. 



Hedymeles melanocephalus, Swainson. 



BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. 



Guiraca welnvncrphihi, Sw. Syn. Mex. Rinls Philos. ^fa,!?. I, 1827, 438. — Bon. List, 1838. 

 — Ib. Consp. 1850, .502. — Haird, Birds N. Am. 18,')8, 498. — Cooper & Sitklkv, 206. 

 CiKcothroustc'i melanmrj)]nila. Rich. List, Pr. Brit. A.ss. for 1836, 1837. Frimjilht 

 vulanncephala, Ari>. Orn. Bio<j. IV, 1838, .519, pL ecclxxiii. Coccnhirus maaniMrphalufi, 

 Arn. Synopsis, 1839, 133. — In. Birds Am. Ill, 1841, 214, pi. 206. — Heerm. X, S, 

 51 (nest). — Cooper, Orn. Cal. I, 228. (Joniaplirti incIanoccpJuxhf, SrL.VTER ? Hcdij- 

 v\cJcs inelanncejyhnlo, Caranis, Mas. Ht-in. 1851, 153. Friv<iUhi an ntJiomoschtlis, 

 Waoler, Isis, 1831, 525. Pif/ffus guttatus, Lessox, llev. Zoiil. II, 1839, 102. 

 .? (??nV«ca ^nco^or. Lesson, Key. ZobL II, 1839, 102. . 



VOL. n. 10 



