289. 
290. 
FRINGILLIDZ: FINCHES, BUNTINGS, SPARROWS, ETC. 389 
Z. ludovicia/na. (Lat. of Louisiana. Figs. 248, 249, 255.) Rosr-BreasTep Sone GRros- 
BEAK. Adult ¢ with the head and neck all around and most of the upper parts black, the 
rump, upper tail-coverts and under parts white, the breast and under wing-coverts exquisite 
carmiue or rose-red ; wings and tail black, variegated with white; bill white; feet grayish- 
blue; iris brown. @ above, streaked with blackish and olive-brown or flaxen-brown, with 
median white coronal and superciliary line; below, white, more or less tinged with fulvous and 
streaked with dusky; wnder wing-coverts 
saffron-yellow ; upper coverts and inner 
quills with a white spot at end; bill brown. 
Young ¢ at first resembling the 9 ; but the 
rose color appears with the first full feather- 
ing. Two or three years are required to 
produce the perfect beauty. Sexes of same’ 
size. Length 7.75-8.50; extent 12.00-13.00; 
wing 3.90-4.25; tail 3.25; tarsus 0.90. 
Eastern U. 8. and British Provinces, N. 
to Labrador and the region of the Saskatche- 
wan; W. in U.S. to the Red River Valley, 
and edge of the Missouri River plains ; win- 
ters extralimital; breeds from the Middle 
States northward. A splendid bird! Few 
combine such attractions for the eye and ear. 
Nest in bushes and low trees, chiefly of root- 
lets and slender fibres; eggs 3-4, 1.00 x 
0.75, dull greenish, fully splashed and dotted 
with dark brown, laid in June. Fig. 249. — Rose-breasted Grosbeak, reduced. (Shep- 
Z. melanoce’phala. (Gr. pédas, pédavos, Parddel. Nichols sc.) 
melas, melanos, black ; xepadn, kephale, head. Fig. 250.) BLACK-HEADED SONG GROSBEAK. 
Adult ¢ with the crown, sides of head, back, wings, and tail black; the back usually varied 
with whitish or cinnamon-brown, the wings spotted with white on the ends of the coverts, and 
usually also towards the ends of the quills, and with a large white patch at base of primaries ; 
several lateral tail-feathers with 
large white spots on inner 
webs near their ends: Neck all 
around, rump, and under parts 
rich orange-brown, changing to 
bright pure yellow on the belly 
and under wing-coverts; bill 
and feet dark grayish- blue. 
Size of the last. The 9 and 
young differ much as in the last 
species, but may be recognized 
by the rich sulphur-yellow under 
wing-coverts; the bill is shorter 
and more tumid, 0.66-0.75 along 
Fie. 250. — Black-headed Grosbeak, reduced. (Sheppard del. Nichols sc.) culmen, 0.60 deep at base. 9, 
adult: Under parts like those of the ¢, but paler, though the belly and lining of wings 
are as pure yellow. Upper parts dark brown with an olive shade, varied with whitish or 
brownish-white, the head blackish with white or brownish coronal and superciliary stripes. 
Wings dusky, marked as in the ¢, but the basal white spot on primaries restricted ; tail as in 
