G. MELANOCEPHALA, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. 167 



breasted male, and as we penetrate into the deeper recesses, pressing 

 through the stubborn luxuriance of vegetation into the little shady 

 glades that the bird loves so well, we may catch a glimpse of the shy 

 and retiring female, darting into concealment, disturbed by our ap- 

 proach. She is almost sure to be followed the next moment by her 

 ardent spouse, solicitous for her safety, bent on reassuring her by his 

 presence and caresses. Sometime during this month, as we enter a 

 grove of saplings, and glance carefully overhead, we may see the nest, 

 placed but a few feet from the ground, in the fork of a limb. The 

 female, alarmed, will flutter away stealthily, and we may not catch 

 another glimpse of her, nor of her mate even, though we hear them 

 both anxiously consulting together at a little distance. The nest is not 

 such an elegant affair as might be desired ; it is, in fact, bulky and rude, 

 if not actually slovenly. It is formed entirely of the long, slender, 

 tortuous stems of woody climbers, and similar stout rootlets ; the base 

 and outer walls being very loosely interlaced, the inner more compactly 

 woven, with a tolerably f]jm< brim of circularly-disposed fibres. Some- 

 times there is a little horse-hair lining, oftener not. A very complete 

 nest before toe is difficult to measure from its loose outward construc- 

 tion, but may be called six inches across outside, by four deep ; the 

 cavity ]three inches wide, by one and a half deep. The nest contained 

 three eggs, which I think is the usual number in this latitude ; four I 

 have only found once. The eggs are usually rather elongate, but obtuse 

 at the smaller end. Different specimens measure, 1.00 by 0.75, 1.08 by 

 0.70, 1.03 by 0.75, 1.02 by 0.72, 0,96 by 0.76; by which dimensions the 

 variation in shape is denoted. The average is about that of the first 

 measurement given. They are of a light and rather pale green color, 

 profusely speckled with dull reddish-brown, usually in small and also 

 rather diffuse pattern, but sometimes quite sharply marked ; the sharper 

 markings are usually the smallest. There is sometimes much confluence, 

 or at least aggregation, about the greater end, but the whole surface is 

 always marked. Most of these eggs were taken in the latter part of 

 June, some by the end of the month ; in all, incubation was in progress. 



GOOTAPHEA MELANOCBPHALA, (Sw.) Gray. 

 Black-beaded Grosbeak. 



Guiraca melanocephala, Sw., Philos. Mag. i, 1827, 438. — Bp., List, 1838. — Bp., Consp. Av. i, 

 1850, 502.— Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 498.— Coop. & SnCK., N. H. Wash. Ter. 1860, 206.— 

 Hayd., Eep. 1862, 168.— CoCES, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 88 (Arizoua, May to 

 October). — SUMicn., Mem. Best. Soc. i, 1869, 551 (Vera Cruz, alpine region and 

 plateau, 1,200 to 2,500 metres, resident).— Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 228.— Mere., 

 U. S. Geol. Surv. Ter. 1872, 683 (Utah and Idaho).— Snow, B. Kans. 1873, 8. 



Cooeofhraiistes melanoceplialus, Rich., Pr. Brit. Assoc, for 1836 (1837). 



Fitylus melanocephalus, Geay, Gen. of B. ii, 362. 



FHngilla melanocepliala, Atjd., Oru. Biog. iv, 1838, 519, pi. 373. 



Coocoliorus melanocephalus, Aud., Syu., 1839, 133. — AuD., B. Am. iii, 1841, 214, pi. 206.^ 

 PIbbrm., p. R. R. Rep. x, 1859, part vi, 51. 



Hedymeles vialanocephalus, Cab., Mus. Hein. i, 1851, 153. — ScL., P. Z. S. 1857, 213 

 (Orizaba); 1858, .303; 1859, 58, 365 (Xalapa) ; Cat. 1862, 100.— B. B. & R., N. 

 A. B. ii, 1874, 73, pi. 30, lig. 1, 2. 



Goniapliea (Hedijmelcs) melmiocephala, Gkay, Hand-list, No. 7547. 



Goniaphea melanocejjhdla, Codes, Key, 1872, 149. — Ali^en, Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 178 

 (Kansas, Colorado, and Utah). 



Fringilla xanthomaschaJis, Wage., Isis, 1831, 525. 



Pitylus guttatus et (?) Gtiiraca tricolm; Less., E. Z. ii, 1839, 102. — "F. epopma, Light." 



Hab. — United States, Middle and Western Provinces, retiring into Mexico in winter. 

 Resident on the table-lands of Mexico. No Central American or valid West Indian 

 record. 



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