OUIRACA. 445 



pale fulvous or ochraceous, streaked on sides and flanks with dusky, 

 but usually without streaks on breast ; belly pale yellowish, and under 

 wing-coverts clear lemon-yellow. Young : Much like adult female, but 

 (especially the male) more buffy, the markings more suffused with the 

 ground-color, and remiges and tail-feathers tinged with olive-greenish. 

 Length 7.50-8.90, wing 3.85-4.20, tail 3.40-3.90. Eggs 1.02 X .70. Hab. 

 "Western United States, east to Great Plains, south into Mexico. 



596. H. melanocephala (SWAINS.). Black-headed Grosbeak. 



GENUS GUIRACA SWAINSON. (Page 383, pi. CXL, fig. 4.) 



Species. 



COMMON CHARACTERS. Adult males plain blue or bluish black, with or without 

 rufous or chestnut wing-bands ; adult females and young brownish. 



a 1 . Middle and greater wing-coverts tipped with chestnut, rufous, or buffy, pro- 

 ducing two distinct bands across wing ; first quill longer than fifth. Nest a 

 compact, deeply cup-shaped structure, composed of dried grasses, plant-fibres, 

 etc., placed in bushes, tall weeds, etc. Eggs 3-4, plain pale greenish blue or 

 bluish white. (Adult males : Uniform dull ultramarine-blue ; lores black ; 

 wings and tail blackish, the feathers edged with bluish, the former with 

 two broad rufous bands. Adult females: Above fulvous-brown, beneath 

 paler fulvous; wings and tail dusky, the former with two light fulvous 

 bands. Young: Similar to adult female, but colors more ochraceous, the 

 wing-bands more rusty, etc. Immature males : The plumage of the adult 

 male and female mixed, in various proportions, according to age. Adult 

 males in winter : Blue of back, breast, etc., more or less obscured by light 

 brownish or buffy tips to feathers.) 



b l . Smaller ; blue deeper or more purplish ; wing-bands much narrower, deeper 

 rufous, that across tips of greater coverts usually not more than .15 

 broad (often not more than .10), and deep rufous like the other band ; 

 white borders to lower tail-coverts, etc., narrower, sometimes nearly ob- 

 solete; female and young averaging browner or more tawny; length 

 6.35-7.50, wing (male) 3.35-3.60 (3.50), tail 2.70-2.90 (2.82), exposed cul- 

 men .G2-.66 (.64), depth of bill at base .52-.5S (.55). Eggs .80 X -66. 

 Hob. More southern eastern United States ; north, regularly (but very 

 locally), to Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Kansas, etc., casually, much far- 

 ther ; west to Indian Territory (and eastern Texas ?) ; in winter, Cuba, 



Yucatan, etc 597. G. cserulea (LINN.). Blue Grosbeak. 



6 2 . Larger ; blue rather lighter and less purplish ; wing-bands much broader, 

 paler rufous, that across tips of greater coverts usually .20-.30 wide, and 

 decidedly paler than the anterior band ; white borders to lower tail-cov- 

 erts, etc., much more conspicuous, rarely, if ever, indistinct ; female and 

 young averaging grayer, or less tawny ; length 7.00-8.00, wing (male) 

 3.60-3.85 (3.68), tail 3.00-3.20 (3.08), exposed culmen .62-.6S (.65), depth 



