338 PEINGILLID^. 



is found along the shores of the Pacific to Ecuador. The habits of this species during 

 its summer residence in the United States, as well as its nest and eggs, are fully set 

 forth in ' The History of North-American Birds ' ^''. 



2. Hedymeles melanocephalus. 



Guiraca melanocephala, Sw. Phil. Mag. n. ser. i. p. 438 ' ; Bp, P. Z. S. 1837, p. Ill ' ; Consp. Av. i. 



p. 502 ' ; Sumichrast, Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. i. p. 551 * ; Duges, La Nat. i. p. 139 \ 

 HedymeUs melanocephalus, Cab. Mus. Hein. i. p. 153 ' ; Scl. P. Z. S. 1857, p. 213 ' ; 1858, p. 303 " ; 



1859, p. 365 ° ; 1864, p. 174 " ; Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. B. ii. p. 73 " ; Lawr. Mem. 



Bost. Soc. N. H. ii. p. 275'=; Salv. Cat. Strickl. Coll. p. 218". 

 Hedymeles melanocephalus, var. capitalis, Baird, Brew., & Eidgw. N. Am. B. ii. p. 70". 

 Fringilla xanthomaschalis, Wagl. Isis, 1831, p. 525 ". 



Fringilla epopma. Licit. Preis-Verz. mex. Vog. p. 2, cf. J. f. Orn. 1863, p. 56 ". 

 Pitylus guttatus. Less. Rev. Zool. 1839, p. 102". 



Supra niger, dorso medio castaneo variegato, torque cervicali, uropygio et corpore subtus castaneis, speeulo alari, 

 tectrioum et secundariorum apicibus et caudas reotricibus utrinque duabus albo maculatis ; mento nigro, 

 abdomine medio flavo, subalaribus flavis ; rostri maxilla corylina, mandibula pallida, pedibus plumbes- 

 centibus. Long, tota 7'8, alse 3-8, caudse 2'8, rostri a rictu 0-6, tarsi 0*9. 



5 supra fuBoa fasco-albido striata, capita summo nigricante medialiter et superciliis albidis; subtus albida 

 ochraceo tin eta et undique fusco guttulata ; alls albo bifasciatis, subalaribus flavis. (Descr. maris et feminae 

 ex Jalapa, Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 



Hah. NoETH Amekica, high central plains from the Yellowstone to the Pacific ^^. — 

 Mexico 2 3 6 13 15 16 17^ Temiscaltepec {Bullock % Guanajuato (Duges^), Mazatlan 

 {Grayson ^^, Forrer), plains of Colima {Xantus ^^), Guadalajara {Grayson), valley 

 of Mexico ( White ^% Alpine region and plateau of Vera Cruz {Sumichrast % 

 Jalapa {de Oca ^, I)e;ppe), Orizaba {Botteri ''), Tierra Fria, Velasco {Le Strange), State 

 of Oaxaca {Boucard ^, FenocMo). 



Hedymeles melanocephalus was discovered by Bullock at Temiscaltepec in Mexico, 

 and described by Swainson in 1827. Since then it has been observed in many parts of 

 Mexico, in the higher regions of the United States, and westwards to the Pacific Ocean. 

 Birds from the last-named region and those from Western Mexico difier slightly from 

 the typical form by having the hind edge of the black crown ill defined, as well as traces 

 of an occipital stripe and chestnut superciliaries. These birds have been designated 

 H. m. capitalis by Mr. Eidgway, but we do not feel very sure as to their true position ; 

 and it may possibly be that they are winter-plumaged birds, varying at that season just 

 as the males of H. ludovicianus. Our series does not enable us to speak with certainty 

 on the point, our only specimens in this state of plumage being from Mazatlan, and 

 these were shot in the month of December. Grayson's specimens were shot at Mazatlan 

 in February, and near Guadalajara in May 12. Sumichrast says that H. melanocephalus 

 is common in the Alpine region and plateau of the State of Vera Cruz as high as 

 8200 feet above the sea, and as low as 4000 feet, but never lower. 



In the United States it is a well-known bird from Arizona northwards to Washington 



