316 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 23 7 tart i 



In central Lower California, Griffing Bancroft (1930) found this 

 finch to be a "common and conspicuous bird about houses and gar- 

 dens, but rare in natural surroimdings. * * * " The nesting sites 

 "most frequently chosen are on the outsides of occupied houses. 

 Where the walls are of tule stems the linnets work their way between 

 the upright stalks. The beams under the eaves and even the thatched 

 roofs of adobes are also favored spots. We found many nests in olive 

 trees and in various odd locations. On the desert, mistletoe in 

 mesquites or flicker holes in cardon are most frequently used." 



The eggs are practically indistinguishable from those of the species 

 elsewhere. The measurements of 40 eggs average 18.9 by 13.9 

 millimeters; the eggs showing the four extremes measure 20.9 by 14. 9, 

 19.5 by 15.0, 17.5 by 13.0, and 19.4 by 12.9 millimeters. 



The plumage changes, food, voice, and other habits probably do 

 not differ from those of other races of the species. 



Distribution 



Range. — The San Lucas house finch is resident in the southern half 

 of Baja California (33 miles west of Calmalli, Cabo San Lucas, off- 

 shore islands), southern coastal and central interior Sonora (Guaymas, 

 Rio Sonora north to lat. 30° N., San Esteban Island), northern 

 Sinaloa (Rio Fuerte), and southwestern Chihuahua (Barranca de 

 Cobre). 



Egg dates. — Baja California: 4 records, April 26 to May 18. 



CARPODACUS MEXICANUS CLEMENTIS Mearns 



San Clemente House Finch 



PLATE 16 



Habits 



Edgar A. Mearns (1898) described and named this finch, based on 

 a specimen taken on San Clemente Island, Calif. He gave it the 

 following diagnosis: "Similar to Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis (Say), 

 but with larger legs and feet and heavier coloration. The striping 

 of the under surface is much broader than in typical specimens of 

 frontalis from the eastern base of the Rocky Mountams. The wings 

 are shorter, the tail perhaps a trifle longer, and the bill much larger 

 and more convex above. It is, in fact, intermediate between the 

 form of frontalis inhabiting the neighboring mainland of California 

 and Carpodacus mcgregori Anthony, from San Benito Island, about 

 twenty miles west of Cerros (or Cedros) Island, Lower California, 

 which latter {C. mcgregori) is but another step towards Carpodacus 

 amplus Ridgway of Guadalupe Island." 



