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Range (Eastern North America breeds) (XXIX)

Eastern North America; breeds from eastern Kansas and the higher altitudes of Virginia and North Carolina northward to Maine and Manitoba; winters in Central and South America.

Washington, rather common T. V., May 1 to 20; Aug. 25 to Oct. 1. Sing Sing, tolerably common S. R., May 3 to Oct. 1. Cambridge, common S. R., May 10 to Sept. 10.

Nest, of fine twigs, weed stalks, and rootlets, in bushes or trees, five to twenty feet up. Eggs, four to five, pale blue, with numerous olive-brown or rufous-brown markings, 90 x 69.

Sometimes in passing through young second growths, and more rarely densely undergrown woodland, I hear a singular kind of questioning call-note, not loud, but distinct a steely peek, peek. It is a signal to me to pause and look for its author; even a glimpse of him is worth several minutes' waiting and watching. There is no mistaking his black, white, and rose costume; but the identity of his more modestly attired mate may long remain an open question. So little does she resemble him that she might pass for an overgrown Sparrow with a rather conspicuous whitish stripe over her eye. The song of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is generally compared to that of the Robin, and musical annotation would doubtless show that the comparison is not misleading. But the similarity is largely one of form; in expression there is no more resemblance in their voices than there is between the birds themselves. There is an exquisite purity in the joyous carol of the Grosbeak; his song tells of all the gladness of a May morning; I have heard few happier strains of bird music. With those who are deaf to its message of good cheer I can only sym- FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. pathize, pitying the man whose heart does not leap with enthusiasm at the sight of rival males dashing through the woods like winged meteors, leaving in their wake a train of sparkling notes.

The BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK (596. Habia melanocephala), a western species, has been recorded from Michigan. , has been recorded from Michigan. 597. Guiraca cærulea (Linn.). BLUE GROSBEAK. Ad. 8.-Deep blue; lores and chin black; back blackish; wings and tail black, slightly ; lores and chin black; back blackish; wings and tail black, slightly edged with blue; middle wingcoverts widely, and greater coverts narrowly tipped with chestnut-rufous. Ad . 2. - Upper parts grayish brown; in some specimens more or less blue about the head and rump and lesser wing-coverts; rump inclined to ashy; wings fuscous, the greater and middle coverts tipped with ochraceous-buff; tail fuscous, slightly margined with bluish gray; under parts brownish cream-buff, the feathers of the breast sometimes blue at the base. Im. 8. - Resembles the 9. L., 7.00; W., 3.50; T., 2.75; B., 65.