518 EVENING GROSBEAK.
along the basal margin of the upper man,HI,1,-, a»d patch',«
white on the T ^ p ^ T h e bill a n d $ | t are ai^tiiemale, but paler.
The tipper part of thè head is dark Imnvmsh-olivo ; the cheeks lighter;
tho hind nock, back, and scapulars light brownish-grey, with a slight
olivaceous tint, shaded into b r own i s h ^ ow on the fump The wings
are Hack ; a portion of the fedge'^the wing, the tips and part of the
margins of the secpndary coverts, a concealed band on the basal' part
B U I D H H the3felter three'excepted, and the edges of all the
j M s toward the end, white, which is broader ói'AfsecOndariea, aMd
f H r m s a lmn' ' 0,1 Tailoovort.-, black, tipped with & WMgof e r
s p # t f white ; tail-feathers a3so'jbiack, mt h a white spot on the inner
web at the ^eight - twel f ths long oil the outermost leather, gradually
diminishing towards the central feathers, which areMightly tipped.
Throat greyish-white, margined on cither side by a longitudinal I,and
of Mack, from the base of the lower mandible, (and t ^ t w d K i n
length ; the lower parts yfeflbiish-grey ; abdomei and lower tail-coverts
white, axillars and some '¿if the lower wing-coverts yellow.
Length to end of tail ? i inches ;' wing from flexure 4J ; tail 2££ ;
hill along the ridge A. '
Young Male. Plate CCCXXIV. ¿fift • I B B i I B b S a r S a ^ ^ H Semblance: to the female,
differing chiefly in wanting the black bands on the flu-oat, and in having
the upper parts much lighter, and the lower moroyHÌo»-- Bill yellow ;
iris hazel ¡'feet flesh-colour, claVs dusky. Head and cheeks light greyish
brown, the rest of the upper parts of a J>al^ tmt, slightly tinged
with yellow on the margin's'. The wings and tail are 'black, as in the
female, and similarly spotted with white, but tmge'd with yellow. The
lower parts are yellowish-grey, the sides of tie neck and the axillars
pale yellow, the abdomen and lower tail-coverts white.
The young male has been described as the adult female by Mr
SwAiNso» ii-the Fauna Boreali-Americana, and has been «ade; a distinct
species by M. I.KSSON, under the name of Gcceotknmstes Bona-
P a r t i L The Prince of MUSK;NASO, it is observed, has erred in stating
that "n o difference of any ¿ ^ q j i e n c e is observable' between thè sexes ;
though it might be said that the female is a little less in size, and rather
duller in plumage."
B L A C K - H E A D E D GROSBEAK.
FBINBILLA MELANOCEPEALA.
' l'l.ATK CCGl.XXIil. MALI AHD FIXUS.
THE? following account of this Grosbeak affords another proof of
the ardent zeal of my excellent friend THOMAS NDTTALL, who, though
more .especially engaged with botany on his recent journey to the Columbia,
has not neglected opportunities of noting many interesting facts
relative to birds,
" On ^ f c ^ p j r a l table-land of the Rocky Mountains, and on the
upper branches of the Colorado of the west, we first heard the powerful
song of this most delightful Pinch. From thence, in the thick
¿soyas of all the streams oil our Western course to the borders of the
Columbia, and throughout the dense forests of that river nearly to the
sea, we were frequently cheered amidst the wildest desolation by the
inimitable voice of this melodious bird. Jealous of all intrusion on Ms
lonety and Wild haunts, it was seldom that we had the opportunity of
witnessing this almost fairy musician, which gave a charm to the saddest
gloom,, and made the very woods as it were re-echo to his untiring
song. Willi the modesty of superior merit, and almost with the solicitude
of the ¿nightingale, our favourite Finch seeks the darkest thicket
of the deepest forest. The moment his eye rests on the intruding observer
he flits off in haste, calls to his mate, and plunging into the
thicket sits in silence till, lie is satisfied of the restoration of solitude,
when he again cautiously mounts the twig and pours oat afresh the ofttold
but never-tiring tale of his affection and devotion to the joys of
nature. HispSng, which greatly resembles that of the Red-breasted
Grosbeak, is heard at early dawn, and at intervals nearly to the close
of night. It is a loud, varied, high-toned and melodious fife, which
rises and falls in the sweetest cadence; but always, like the song of
the nightingale, leaves a sensation of pleasing sadness on the ear, which
fascinates more powerfully than the most cheering hilarity. In fact,
the closing note of our bird is often so querulous as to appear like the
shrill cry of appealing distress : it sinks at last so faintly, yet still so
charmingly on the sense. When seen, which is only fay accident, he