94 THE CALIFORNIA PURPLE FINCH. 



California. Besides his (iwn wild, exultant notes, he rapidly strings together 

 those of other birds, and renders tlie whole with the spontaneity and some- 

 thing of the accent of the Lark Sparrow. Indeed, when I first heard one 

 sing on a crisp May morning on the hanks of the Coluniljia, 1 tlnjught I was 

 hearing a rare burst of the latter Ijird, so nuich of its song had been appropri- 

 ated bv the Finch. Besides this, strains of Western Vesper Sparrow, Moun- 

 tain Bluebird, and Louisiana Tanager were recognized. 



CALIFORNIA PURPLE FINCH. 



No. 34. 



A. O. U. No. 517a. Carpodacus purpureus californicus Baird. 



Description. — Adult male: General body plumage rich crimson or rosy red, 

 clearest on crown and upper tail-coverts, more or less mingled with dusky on 

 back and scapulars, passing into white on crissum and under tail-coverts ; wings 

 and tail brownish dusky with reddish edgings. Bill and feet brownish. Adult 

 female: Above olive dusky in streaks, with edging or gloss of brighter olivaceous ; 

 underparts whitish, everywhere, save on middle abdomen, crissum and under tail- 

 coverts, streaked with olive dusky, finely on throat, broadly on breast and sides, 

 shading into pattern of upperparts on sides of head, neck and chest. Immature 

 male, and male in ordinary (?) plumage: exactly like female in coloration. Length 

 about 5.75 (146); wing 3.07 (78); tail 2.28 (58): bill .45 (11.3); tarsus 

 .70 ( 17-0). 



Recognition Marks. — ■■\\'arbler size" but sturdier, an unmistakable sparrow; 

 rosy coloration of male distinctive (without crossed mandibles) but streaky 

 pattern oftenest seen. Distinguishable from the Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) by 

 larger size, more sedate ways and absence of sulphury wing- and tail-markings. 



Nesting. — Nest: well built, of fir twigs, heavily lined with green moss, 

 horse-hair, string, etc.; placed in tree (deciduous or evergreen) at elevation of 

 5-40 feet and usually at some distance from trunk ; measures outside 5 in. wide 

 by 3 in. deep, inside 23^ in. wide by lY^ in. deep. Eggs: 4 or 5, light greenish 

 blue, spotted and streaked with violaceous and black, chiefly about the larger end. 

 Round ovate to elongate ovate ; varying in dimensions from .75 x .56 ( 19 x 14.2) 

 to .91 X .59 (22.8 X 15). Season: first week in May and first week in June; two 

 broods. 



General Range. — Pacific coast district from southern California north to 

 British Columbia (including Vancouver Island). More or less resident thruout 

 range but drifts (casually?) to southeastward in Arizona during migrations. 



Range in Washington. — West-side, chiefly at lower levels; especially partial 

 to orchards and cultivated sections. Irregularly resident but numbers augmented 

 in spring. 



Authorities. — Carpodacus californicus Baird, Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. 

 IX. 1858, 414. T. C&S. L-'. Rh. Kb. Ra. Kk. B. E. 

 Specimens.— U. of W. Prov. P. B. BN. E. 



