North American Birds Eggs. 



275 



[Pale greenish blue 



596. Black-headed Grosbeak. Zam- 

 elodia mdanoccphala. 



Range. -Unit- 

 ed States, west 

 oJ the Plains, 

 breeding from 

 Mexico north to 

 British Colum- 

 b i a ; winters 

 south of the 

 United States. 



This species is of the size of the 

 last (8 inches long), and is a bright 

 cinnamon brown color with black 

 head, and black and white wings 

 and tail. The habits of this bird 

 are the same as those of the Rose- 

 breasted Grosbeak and its song is 

 very similar but more lengthy. 

 Their nests, like those of the last, 

 are very flimsy structures placed in 

 bushes or trees, usually below twen- 

 ty feet from the ground: they are 

 open frameworks of twigs, rootlets 

 and weed stalks, through which the 

 eggs can be plainly seen. The 

 eggs are similar to those of the 

 preceding but are usually of a paler 

 color, the markings, therefore show- 

 ing with greater distinctness. Size 

 1.00 X .70. 



Photo by .J. B. Pardoe. 

 v'EST OF ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. 



to Penn- 



597. Blue Grosbeak. Ouiraca cxrulea. 



Range. — Southeastern United States, breeding from the Gulf north 

 sylvania and Illinois, and casually to New England. 



Smaller than the last two species and deep blue, with wings 



and tail blackish, and the lesser coverts and tips of greater, 



chestnut. It is a fairly common species in the southerly parts 

 of its range, nesting most frequently in low hushes or vines 

 in thickets; the nest is made of rootlets, weed stalks and 

 grasses and sometimes leaves. The three or four eggs are 

 bluish white, unmarked. Size .85 x .65. Data. — Chatham 

 Co., Ga., June 10, 1808. 3 eggs. Nest of roots, leaves and 

 snake skin, lined with tine rootlets, 3 feet from the ground in a 

 small oak bush. Collector, Troup D. Perry. 



597a. Western Blue Grosbeak. Ouiraca cxrulea lazula. 



Range. — Western United States north to Kansas, Colorado and northern Cal- 

 ifornia. 



Slightly larger than the last and lighter blue; nests the same and egg not dis- 

 tinctive. 



