HEPBURN'S ROSY FINCH 353 



"Here were domes of reddish, clinker-like, porous rock, overlain 

 with flat stratified slabs of a very hard structure. Both formations 

 were later referred by Dr. Wm. M. Tucker of the Fresno State College, 

 to rhyolite, differently metamorphosed in cooling. Water dripped 

 over about half of tliis area. The drier parts showed irregular gas- 

 iormed crypts here and there and in two of these appeared from the 

 distance, that which looked hke nesting material. One, at least, 

 had what was distinctly shown as loose weathered ends of grass, 

 though very old." 



Of one nest location, he says: "It was placed in a rather open 

 space in the rock, roughly speaking about 8 inches high. It was not 

 a secure enclosm'e, but was penetrated by light from two or three 

 small openings from the side and back where the rocks did not fit 

 tightly together besides being widely open from the front. In it 

 the nest was set back about ten inches from the opening. * * *" 



He describes another nest, located in the slab formation, as follows: 



This was a bulky aflfair a little smaller than that of a Robin. It was constructed 

 on the outside with considerable black, dead Usnea or tree moss (a, lichen) and 

 what seemed to be rootlets of what might be partridge-foot (Lutkea pectinaia) 

 which was found to be projecting down from the undercut sod of the moraine's 

 knife edge. Quantities of rootlets, possibly of a sedge (Carex), rushes {Juncus) 

 or a bent grass (Agrostis) were found although these fragments were diiBcult 

 to determine. A few bits of old dead moss stems were also present in the outer 

 wall. The lining was of grass culms which had the appearance of having been 

 shredded to a considerable fineness in the bottom of the nest. Several Ptarmigan 

 feathers were present in the lining. 



Charles S. Moody (1910) discovered two nests of this finch while 

 fishing along swift, rocky, mountain streams in northern Idaho. One 

 was "'situated upon a shght shelf of the rock near where the cliff 

 takes a sharp angle. It was composed of dried grass stems, pine 

 needles and moss. The structure was poorly made, and I am at 

 loss to understand why the wind did not sweep it away. The eggs, 

 which were about .94 X .50 inches were a bluish white, though I am 

 inchned to believe this was due to the incubation, as they appeared 

 about ready to hatch. I think that the eggs when first deposited are 

 milk-white, from the fact that those in another nest discovered by me 

 the next season were of that color." 



Of another nest, he says: "While picking our way around a cliff 

 upon which tussocks of grass were growing, a Rosy Finch started 

 from beneath my feet. She alighted on a rock not far distant, and 

 complained about our intrusion. The nest was situated beneath one 

 of these tussocks, and was very similar to the one just described." 



Eggs. — The eggs of Hepburn's rosy finch, usually four or five in 

 number, are pure white and unmarked, like the eggs of other races of 

 the species. 



