WESTERN BIRDS rinc^ 



after the juvenal dress, and is usually retained for one 

 season. In some males a duller red dress is carried 

 through the summer, or more rarely a salmon pink one; 

 but in most cases the dress of the second summer is a 

 gray one like the female's, with yellow head and rump. 

 Females may sometimes be seen with decidedly red 

 heads and rumps — from the size and shape of the bill 

 these seem to be very old birds. 



The Rocky Mountain Pine Grosbeak (P. e. montana) 

 is found in the summits of the mountains whose name 

 it bears from Idaho, and Montana to northern New 

 Mexico. 



The California Pine Grosbeak breeds in the high 

 region of the central Sierra Nevada, from Placer County 

 to Fresno County, California. 



These birds live in the high mountains among the 

 pines and hemlocks. If perchance their haunts are in- 

 vaded by man they are as tame and trustful as are all 

 the birds of this group. We only wish that they were 

 not dwellers of such high, inaccessible places so far from 

 the beaten paths of man. 



GENUS CARPODACUS : PURPLE 

 FINCH. (Eastern.) 



Purple Finch: Carpodacus purpureus purpureus. 



FAMILY— FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



Every time I look at one of these beautiful birds, I 

 am convinced that the man who named it must have 

 been color-blind, since there is no purple in his make-up, 

 but rather a soft crimson, or rose-red, quite different 

 than his name would lead us to believe. The upper 

 parts of the male are brown striped, the head, rump, 



149 



