CARPODACUS FRONTALIS, CRIMSON-FRONTED FINCH. 107 



Later Expeditions. — 62326-26, Yellowstone and Snake Rivers. 



Not obtained by Lieutenant Warren's Expedition. 



Although it might be argued with some reason that this is merely a variety of pur- 

 2)urens, I am at present inclined to treat it as a distinct species, for 1 have seen no 

 specimens, of many examined, that were not instantly recognizable by the peculiarities 

 given in the above-quoted worlis. Dr. Hayden's specimens are interesting as repre- 

 senting the northeastern moat recorded locality. 



I have only uijself observed this species iu Arizona, about Fort 

 Whipple, where it was common, and resident. It is foand westward to 

 the Sierra Nevada, but probably not beyond. Dr. Cooper found it in 

 large numbers about Lake Tahoe, and noticed a peculiar call-note. So 

 little has been placed on record of its habits, that the following i)ara- 

 graph from Mr. Trippe, referring to his observations at Idaho Springs, 

 Colorado, is the more acceptable : 



"Abundant; breeds. A few remain all winter in sheltered localities 

 in Bergen's Park, but the greater number seek some warmer climate, 

 ■returning as soon as the severest portion of the season has i)assed by. 

 In March and April they frequent the dense thickets of willows tliat 

 line the banks of nearly all the streams in places, and have at that tiuie 

 a low, sweet warbling song, which becomes louder in May, and then 

 fully equals that of the Purple Finch. They breed as high as 10,000 

 feet, but are not uniformly (listributed, as 1 never saw them abundant 

 outside of Bergen's Park. During summer and fall they frequent the 

 pine trees in which they nest; and during this season the female sings 

 nearly as sweetly as the male. I strongly suspect that the C. i)nrpurem 

 mentioned by Allen as abundant in the South Park, was this s])ecies, 

 which he does not give at all. The latter is common, while the former 

 is at least so rare that I never saw it iu a year's careful observation.'' 



The only sets of eggs I have seen are not distinguishable from some 

 specimens of C. imrpweus^ though on an average they are probably 

 rather larger. As in the case of that s[>ecies, very pale sets occur, cor- 

 responding to the whitish eggs of Blue-birds. The nidilication is wholly 

 similar to that of C. piirpureus. The eggs, suppose<l to be of this 

 species, lately described by Dr. Brewer, are those of C. frontalis. They 

 were from the South Arizona collection of Lieutenant C. Jieiidire, who 

 "writes me that they were wrongly identitied. (J. cassini probably does 

 not breed iu that locality. {Cf. Beew., Pr. Bost. Soc. xvi, ISTo, lOU.) 



CARPODACUS FRONTALIS, (Say) Gray. 



Crimson-fronted Fincb ; House Finch ; Biirion. 



a. frontalis. 



Frivfiilln frotitalw, Say, Long's Exped. R. Mts. ii, 1824, 40. 



FriiK/ilht {I'linhiihi) fnnildlis, (i.vMB., Pr. I'hila. Aca<l. i, 1S43, 262. 



riirrhiila froiitalis, J'.V., Am. Orn. i, 1825, 4i>, pi. (i, figs. 1, 2. 



E)-!)llin>sphii froHtaliH, \W., V. Z. 8. \H\M, 112; List, 1S:5S, i};').— Gamu., .J. P. Ac. 1847, 53. 



CarpoduniH J'l-onlnlix, Gi:ay, (Jenera of Hirds. — Up., Consp. i, 18.">(l, 5:];?. — McCali-, Pr. 

 Phila. Acad. 1851, 2U>.— Nkwh., P. R. R. Rep. vi, 18r)7, 88.— Ud., 1$. N. A. 18.')8, 

 415.— Kenx., p. R. R. Rep. x, 18.7J, pt. iv, 28.— CorK.s, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 

 80.— Cocks, Ibis, 18(i(i, 267.— Cooi*., 15. Cal. i, 1870. 1.%.— Ana-.N, Pr. Post. Soc. 

 1872, Vyj (Arkansas River, Col.).— CoiMOS. Key, 1.S72, 121). 



CarpodavuH froiildlm var. /'roiilaUx, Ridcw., Am. .louiii. v, 1873, 40. — 1>. 15. i^ R., N. A. 

 B. i'. 1S7 1, 46(i, pf. 21, f. :5, 6. 



Carpoducufi Jhrniliarix, McCam,, Pi-. Phila. Acad. vii. 18.')2, 61.— Woodii., Silgr. Kep. 1853, 

 88.— Cass., III. 1^54, 73, pi. 13.— 1Iki;i;m., P. R. R. Rep. x, 18:)'.), pt. vi, :.[). 



Caipodacim ohsiiinix, McCam., Pr. Phila. Acad. 1851, 220. 



CorjHxIdrnn '' ailifoDiiriin," Coi'Ks, Ibis, 181)5, 164 {hipsii). 



Cati)odacit8 " crtss/iii," Uijkw., I'r. Bost. Soc. xvi, 187;J, lOK (error in idoutilication of eggs). 



