The eggs bear some resemblance to those of the _Pyrangæ_, but are usually much larger, though they vary greatly in size. Their ground-color is usually a light but well-marked shade of verdigris-green, varying occasionally to a greenish-white, and are marked, more or less, over their entire surface, with blotches of reddish-brown. They vary in length from 1.05 to .90 of an inch, and from .78 to .60. During incubation, and in the presence of its mate, this Grosbeak is a persistent and enthusiastic singer, and, at times, carries his love of song so far as to betray his nest. This is more especially so when he relieves his mate, takes her place on the nest, and then, apparently oblivious of the danger of lifting up his voice in song when upon so responsible a duty, attracts, by his melody, the oölogist to his treasures. Dr. Hoy, of Racine, supplies some interesting information in regard to the habits and nesting of this species. On the 15th of June, within six miles of that city, he found seven nests, all within a space of not over five acres, and he was assured that each year they resort to the same locality and nest thus socially. Six of these nests were in thorn-trees, all were within six to ten feet from the ground, and all were in the central portion of the top. Three of the four parent birds sitting on the nests were males, and this he was told was usually the case. When a nest was disturbed, all the neighboring Grosbeaks gathered around and appeared equally interested. Both nest and eggs so closely resemble those of the Tanagers that it is difficult to distinguish them. Their position is, however, usually different, the Grosbeaks generally nesting in the central portion of a small tree, the Tanagers’ being placed on a horizontal limb. Hedymeles melanocephalus, SWAINSON. BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. _Guiraca melanocephala_, SW. Syn. Mex. Birds Philos. Mag. I, 1827, 438.—BON. List, 1838.—IB. Consp. 1850, 502.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 498.—COOPER & SUCKLEY, 206. _Coccothraustes melanocephala_, RICH. List, Pr. Brit. Ass. for 1836, 1837. _Fringilla melanocephala_, AUD. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 519, pl. ccclxxiii. _Coccoborus melanocephalus_, AUD. Synopsis, 1839, 133.—IB. Birds Am. III, 1841, 214, pl. 206.—HEERM. X, S, 51 (nest).—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 228. _Goniaphea melanocephala_, SCLATER? _Hedymeles melanocephala_, CABANIS, Mus. Hein. 1851, 153. _Fringilla xanthomaschalis_, WAGLER, Isis, 1831, 525. _Pitylus guttatus_, LESSON, Rev. Zoöl. II, 1839, 102. _? Guiraca tricolor_, LESSON, Rev. Zoöl. II, 1839, 102.