ROSY FINCH 433 



We were not fortunate in finding any nest of the Sierra Nevada Rosy 

 Finch in the Yosemite region. We have considerately left this accomplish- 

 ment for someone with marked cliff-climbing predilections, together with 

 unlimited patience and tireless powers of observation. An essential element 

 in the search for a Leucosticte's nest would be time, but there might be 

 an element of luck, too. We would suggest, first, the watching of a pair 

 of birds to determine the focus of their interests; then the searching of 

 the crevices of the rock chute or fractured brink of fluted cirque about 

 which their fixed headquarters are almost sure to be found. 



The nearest to finding a nest that any of us came, knowingly, was on 

 the side of Mount Clark, August 22, when a half-grown young rosy finch, 

 yet unable to fly, was traced by its hoarse chirp or chirrup to its hiding 

 place in a rock crevice close to a snow cornice on the verge of a thousand- 

 foot declivity facing toward the northwest. The nest must have been close 

 by, though possibly altogether out of reach deep doAvn in some one of 

 the many clefts. This instance would indicate a late date of egg laying, 

 probably about August 1. On the other hand, a female bird collected at 

 10,500 feet on Mount Hoffmann, June 30, contained a full-sized egg and 

 showed evidences of having already deposited other eggs. 



Young-of-the-year, fully feathered and flying about in restless flocks, 

 were first observed August 29, at Vogelsang Pass. On September 26, 

 flocks were seen along the ridge at the extreme head of Warren Fork of 

 Leevining Creek, 10,500 to 11,000 feet. Not far away was found an adult 

 male all alone on a rockj^ slope among lodgepole pines at only 10,000 feet 

 altitude. He proved to be undergoing the fall molt, being extremely 

 ragged in appearance, and doubtless unable to keep up readily with the 

 flock of full-feathered young-of-the-year. As with certain other members 

 of the finch family which are of flocking habit most of the year, the adults 

 at molting time in the fall (there being no spring molt in this species) 

 sequester themselves during the period of impairment preceding the 

 acquisition of a complete new garb. 



While our party was on the summit of Mount Lyell, 13,090 feet, July 

 18, a pair of rosy finches was foraging about among the rocks apparently 

 picking up crumbs left from luncheons. On July 8, Leucostictes were seen 

 about Young Lake (10,000 feet) and on August 21 a small company was 

 seen on Mount Florence at 11,500 feet. One lone Leucosticte was seen 

 at the Soda Spring, Tuolumne Meadows, only 8600 feet altitude, on the 

 the evening of July 27, 1915, this being the lowest station of observation. 



