BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. 
FRINGILLA MELANOCEPHALA. 
PLATE CCCLXXIII. Mate anp Femate. 
Tue following account of this Grosbeak affords another proof of 
the ardent zeal of my excellent friend Tuomas Nurratz, who, though 
more especially engaged with botany on his recent journey to the Co- 
lumbia, has not neglected opportunities of noting many interesting facts 
relative to birds. 
“ On the central table-land of the Rocky Mountains, and on the 
upper branches of the Colorado of the west, we first heard the power- 
ful song of this most delightful Finch. From thence, in the thick 
groves of all the streams on our western course to the borders of the 
Columbia, and throughout the dense forests of that river nearly to the 
sea, we were frequently cheered amidst the wildest desolation by the 
inimitable voice of this melodious bird. Jealous of all intrusion on his 
lonely and wild ‘haunts, it was seldom that we had the opportunity of 
witnessing this almost fairy musician, which gave a charm to the sad- 
dest gloom, and made the very woods as it were re-echo to his untiring 
song. With the modesty of superior merit, and almost with the soli- 
citude of the Nightingale, our favourite Finch seeks the darkest thicket 
of the deepest forest. The moment his eye rests on the intruding ob- 
server he flits off in haste, calls to his mate, and plunging into the 
thicket sits in silence till he is satisfied of the restoration of solitude, 
when he again cautiously mounts the twig and pours out afresh the oft- 
told but never-tiring tale of his affection and devotion to the joys of 
nature. His song, which greatly resembles that of the Red-breasted 
Grosbeak, is heard at early dawn, and at intervals nearly to the close 
of night. It is a loud, varied, high-toned and melodious fife, which 
rises and falls in the sweetest cadence; but always, like the song of 
the nightingale, leaves a sensation of pleasing sadness on the ear, which 
fascinates more powerfully than the most cheering hilarity. In fact, 
the closing note of our bird is often so querulous as to appear like the 
shrill cry of appealing distress: it sinks at last so faintly, yet still so 
charmingly on the sense. When seen, which is only by accident, he 
