CHAPTER XXXIX. 



September 18 September 24. 



THE ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. 



Order Passeres Suborder Oscines 



Family Fringillidse Genus Habia 



Species Zamelodia ludoviciana. 



Length 7.00 to 8.50; wing, 3.90 to 4.15; tail, 3.25 to 3.55. 

 Migration North, May; south, September. 



Mr. Robert Ridgeway, in his Birds of North and Middle 

 America, describes twenty-nine grosbeaks. Of these, five have 

 been identified in the Middle West, namely the blue, cardinal, 

 evening, pine and rose-breasted. All of these are members of 

 the family. Fringillidse. The bill of the adult male rose-breast- 

 ed grosbeak is slightly arched, light brown at the base, with 

 upper mandible dusky and lower a yellowish white; iris of 

 eye brown ; head, neck, back and scapulars black ; rump white ; 

 wings pointed, black with large patch of white on basal por- 

 tion of primaries and white spots at tips of the greater coverts ; 

 tail symmetrical, nearly even, with upper coverts black with 

 large terminal spots, and underneath part very white ; chest, 

 median portion of breast and under wing coverts bright rose 

 red or light carmine; rest of underparts of body white; legs 

 and feet grayish horn color, the toes being long, slender and 

 terminated with long, sharp claws. The adult female above 

 is of a grayish brown color, streaked with cream buff and 

 blackish ; buff stripe through the center of the crown, and a 

 whitish one over the eye; wing coverts tipped with white; un- 



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