1912 BIRDS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 73 



Cuyamaca Mountains, San Diego County, within twenty-five or thirty miles 

 of the Mexican line. Mr. Stephens has also found them on Smith Mountain, 

 and he helieves that they probably breed on all the mountains of San Diego 

 C'ount\- that carry fir timber. 



243. (518) Carpodacus cassini Baird. Cassin Purple Finch. 



Abundant breeding bird in the Transition and Boreal zones of the moun- 

 tains above 4000 feet, south to the San Jacinto Range. Occurs occasionally 

 in winter in the foothill country, and sometimes straggles down into the valleys. 

 PVom February 25 to April 26, 1901, Fi. S. Swartb found this species quite 

 abundant in the vicinity of Los Angeles, feeding in the pepper trees and mus- 

 tard patches (Condor m, 1901, 66). From June 23 to 26, 1906, J. Grinnell 

 secured three nests of this bird near Dry Lake, about 9000 feet altitude in the 

 San Bernardino Mountains. The nests contained four eggs each. One of 

 the sets was fresh and the other two were advanced in incubation. As Mr. 

 Grinnell saw full-grown young in the same locality, June 18, 1907, the breed- 

 ing season must cover at least two months and a half ( Univ. Calif. Publ. 

 Zool. v, 1908, 89). F. Stephens has a pair of birds taken on San Jacinto 

 Mountain. June 23, 1893. Fie informs me that he considers this the southern 

 limit of their breeding range. 



244. (519) Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis (Say). House Finch. 

 The "California linnet" is an abundant resident everywhere from the 



coast to the mountains, and up the mountain canons to an altitude of more 

 than 5000 feet. After the breeding season they may be found up to at least 

 7500 feet. In winter they occur in large flocks in stubble fields and sun- 

 flower patches, but by early spring they are paired off and nesting every- 

 where, being particularly abundant around gardens and parks. They breed 

 plentifully through April, May and June and raise at least two broods in a 

 season. \Y. M. Pierce took four fresh eggs near Claremont, Los Angeles 

 County, March 22, 1901, and F. B. Jewett noted a nest near Pasadena which 

 contained four fresh eggs on August 1. 1896 (Grinnell. Pub. 2, Pasadena 

 Acad. Sci., 1898, 35). 



245. (519c) Carpodacus mexicanus dementis Mearns. San Clemente 

 House Finch. 



Common resident on the Santa Barbara Islands. Originally described 

 from San Clemente (Auk xv, 1898, 258). 1 have examined specimens from 

 several of the islands and fail to see that they differ appreciably from the 

 mainland bird. J. Grinnell found this finch abundant on San Clemente Island 

 in the summer of 1897. He took four fresh eggs on March 30, and five 

 partially incubated eggs the day following. He also noted nearly hedged 

 young March 28 and took incubated eggs on June 5 (Pub. 1, Pasadena Acad. 

 Sci., 1897, 16). I have found the House Finch plentiful on all the Santa 

 Barbara Islands except San Miguel. On this island I noted it only occasionally. 



246. (521) Loxia curvirostra minor (Brehm). Crossbill. 

 Occasional winter visitant, south at least to Pasadena and Riverside. Four 



