196 THE YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. 
then imperfect knowledge of the zoology of the West. Bonaparte 
first published an account of the bird, with a good figure, in his 
continuation of Wilson’s Ornithology, in 1825. It is not so strict- 
ly a western species as is generally believed; for in its partial 
northward migration it ranges obliquely to the eastward, until 
in British America it reaches a meridian of longitude which it is 
not known to attain in the United States. It inhabits the region 
about the Saskatchewan and Red River of the North; and we have 
Prof. Reinhardt’s authority for its presence even in Greenland. — 
Sir John Richardson mentions its abundance at the fifty-eighth 
parallel, where, however, it is found only in summer. It is singular 
` that it should breed in these almost hyperborean regions, and in — 
the warm parts of New Mexico, Arizona, and California; yet such — 
is the fact. The partial migration just mentioned, which occurs 
with many birds besides this one, may be explained in two ways. 
Either the birds bred at the north retire before winter, and return 
again in the spring, while those reared further south remain sta- 
tionary, or else there is a north and south oscillation of all the 
individuals, not of sufficient length to carry them away from any 
localities except at the extremes of their range. 
The Xanthocephalus icterocephalus, as this species is called, 8 
one of our handsomest blackbirds, the body being glossy black, 
the head, neck and breast rich yellow, and the wings having 2 
white spot. The female is smaller than the male, and plain dark 
brown, with the yellow of the head restricted and clouded ove 
Together with the Lark Finch (Chondestes grammaca) and Pral- 
rie Hen, it is one of the earliest indications that the westward 
bound traveller has of approaching a different ornithological ed 
gion. I saw some on the prairies of Wisconsin, and a great many 
in Kansas, at a place called Salinas, supposed by courtesy to be? 
town, although it consisted chiefly of a very dirty shed for a 7 
ble, and another smaller one, a shade cleaner, for a hotel. The 
birds were the most agreeable inhabitants of the place, and I 
' the stable yard, with some Cowpen birds and Doves. They were 
very tame, and would only fly off a few yards when shot at. 
nas is not far from Junction City and Fort Riley, a locality whe 
so many Eastern and Western birds are found together, that it 18 
particularly interesting, as the following extracts from my no 
book will show. The memoranda were made during a week's stay 
in which time over a hundred specimens were secured. 
