60 FOOD HABITS OF THE GROSBEAKS., 
BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. 
(Zamelodia melanocephala. Plate III.) 
APPEARANCE, DISTRIBUTION, AND HABITS. 
In form and size the black-headed grosbeak is almost a counter- 
part of the last species, but it is very different in color. In the male 
blackhead, golden brown and lemon yellow take the place of the 
rose and white of the rosebreast; while the color of the underparts 
of the female is not soiled white, as in the eastern bird, but bright 
buffy. Both sexes of the western grosbeak have a horn-colored beak; 
that of the rosebreast is white. 
Occupying a range from the west coast eastward which is comple- 
mentary to, although slightly overlapping that of its eastern relative, 
the blackhead occurs from lowermost Mexico to southern British 
Columbia, northern Montana, western North Dakota, and north- 
eastern Nebraska. It breeds at both extremes, and withdraws in 
winter to the southern third of its range, lingering as far north, how- 
ever, as central Mexico. 
The male is a brilliant songster, the peer of any of his kin. He is 
also an excellent mate and parent, and assumes an equal share of the 
labors of the nesting season. The nests of this species are loosely 
built and generally are placed in low growth, often along streams. 
The eggs are 3 or 4 in number and are similar to those of the rose- 
breast. The young are hatched in May and June. Since the bird 
often makes its home in higher altitudes it is sometimes called the 
mountain grosbeak. 
ECONOMIC RELATIONS. 
So great is the economic importance of the black-headed grosbeak 
that partial accounts of its food habits appear in two previous pub- 
lications of the Biological Survey. Only 70 stomachs were then 
available for examination, while more than three times that num- 
ber ® are now at hand, collected in five States and Territories. As 
the greater number are from California, the present report relates 
essentially to that State. The stomachs were collected from April 
to August, inclusive. The data show that about two-thirds of the 
bird’s food consists of insects and other animal matter and one- 
third of vegetable substances. To be more exact, 65.85 percent is 
animal, 34.15 vegetable. The maximum amount (79.95) of animal 
matter is consumed in June. From the standpoint of the agricul- 
turis$ great interest attaches to the vegetable food of this bird, as 
it is reputed to be destructive to cultivated fruit. 
4“ Farmers’ Bull. 54, 1904, pp. 35-86; Yearbook Dept. Agr., 1904, pp. 246 and 
24s. 
4 About half of the total number of stomachs of this species were examined 
by Prof. F, B. L. Beal. 
