74 PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA No. 12 



The breeding season is a long one, and at least three broods must be raised 

 each year. G. F. Breninger {35) found several sets of four and five eggs on San 

 Clemente in February, 1903, and I repeatedly saw young on the wing there dur- 

 ing the last of March, 1915. J. Grinnell and F. S. Daggett {14) noted a nest on 

 the Coronados, August 6, 1902, which lield small young. The eggs are indistin- 

 guishable from those of the mainland bird. The average measurements for a se- 

 ries of nine eggs taken by J. Grinnell (<9) on San Clemente is .82x.59 inches. 

 Nesting sites originally were in cactus plants or in niches of cliffs, but the birds 

 are now taking advantage of the chance to occupy more sheltered situations in 

 buildings and sheds, where such occur. I have even knowoi one to take posses- 

 sion of a nest of the Western Flycatcher {28) with one egg of the rightful owner 

 still in place, but as to whether the latter had first deserted of her own accord. 

 I am unable to say. Linnets are fond of congregating about the opuntia patches, 

 on the ripe fruit of which they feed extensively. 



Being in doubt as to the identity of birds from Santa Cruz Island, I sent 

 a small series to J. Grinnell for his opinion. He agrees Avith me in considering 

 the bills of these birds indistinguishable from those of mainland specimens. 

 Among examples from the mainland which he had in the Museum collection, he 

 also found birds more heavily marked than my Santa Cruz specimens. 



I believe in subspecies, and think that any form that has a constant charac- 

 ter of differentiation should be recognized. I cannot see, however, why any 

 race, only two thirds or so of which show the subspecific characters, should have 

 formal place in the catalog of our avifauna. I have gathered together a good 

 sized series of the island Carpodacus and have examined many more. I have not 

 taken many measurements of bills and feet, as these often vary in a manner that 

 cannot be shown by calipers, but I have compared them very carefully in the 

 hand, where relative bulk is more apparent. In a large series these members 

 do average a very little larger in the island than in mainland birds, but speci- 

 mens of the latter may be found which surpass those of the former in the size of 

 both culmen and feet. I have a female taken in Covina, California, the streak- 

 ing of whose under parts is much heavier than any island female examined, and I 

 have seen males from the mainland just as heavily streaked as any of the insa- 

 lar birds. The latter probably do average heavier in this respect, but there is a 

 large number in which this criterion does not hold good. In the matter of com- 

 parative lengths of wing and tail, the following table speaks for itself. Speci- 

 mens in very worn plumage have not been compared. 



Wing- Tail 



33 males from mainland (Los Angeles Co.) 77.6 58.6 



53 males from San Clemente Island 78.6 58.4 



9 males from Santa Cruz Island 77. 58.4 



In making the above comparisons I am indebted for the loan of specimens to 

 the Museum of History, Science and Art, of Los Angeles, through F. S. Daggett, 

 and to the U. S. Biological Survey, through E. W. Nelson. As but few females 

 were available, I have given measurements of males only. My large series from 

 the type locality certainly goes to show that birds from there at least have not 

 a sliorter wing, and to all intents, no shortei- tail than mainland birds. The 



