FINCHES 



haunts seem to ))e along the sides of brushy 

 canyons where it may be found sitting in 

 small groups sunning itself in the bushes, 

 preening its feathers and practising its 

 peculiar soft, vibrant whistle of three notes 

 given in a descending scale. Set to words it 

 sounds like 0-dear-mc! Those wdio are fa- 

 miliar with the bird in Alaska report it 

 as an incessant singer, the plaintive strain 

 often becoming tiresome with the repeti- 

 tion. 



It is often seen scratching in the dirt roads 

 after the manner of towhees, always on the 

 lookout for danger, darting into the adjoining 

 cover at the least suggestion of it. Its larger 

 size, conspicuously black area above the eyes 

 and wide central stripe on crow^n, lemon- 

 yellow in front and gray behind, will readily 

 distinguish the golden-crow^ned from the 

 white-crowned sparrow. The young of the 

 year have the head marked with brown in- 

 stead of black and they are very handsome 

 in this dress. The golden-crown is seen in 

 many places along the Pacific Coast as late as 

 the middle of May, and many young are seen 

 by the first of July, which may indicate that 

 they may possibly nest within the borders of 

 the United States, although no nest has yet 

 been found so far as known. 

 15 



