BIRDS — FEINGILLIDAE — CARPODA CUS CALIFORNICUS. 



413 



List of specimens. 



CAEPODACUS CALIFORNICUS, Baird. 

 Western Purple Finch. 



Sp. Ch. — Similar to purpureus. Third quill longest; first shorter than the fourth. Purple of head and rump much 

 darker than in C. pm-pureus ; the head with a broad supraorbital lateral ba lighter purple. Length, 6.2 ; wing, 3.20 ; 



tail, 2.60. 



Huh. — Pacific coast of United States. 



In the examination of a large series of skins (over sixty in number) of the western jiurple 

 finch, I have found diiFerences which indicate either a decided geographical variety, or a distinct 

 species from the typical eastern C. purpureus. The size appears somewhat less. The upper 

 mandible appears lower in proportion to the inferior one, and is darker than in eastern 

 specimens. The culmen is more curved, and lacks the gentle concavity on the basal portion. 

 The male is of a considerably darker purple, especially on the head and the rump ; that on the 

 former in quite strong and abrupt contrast to the back, instead of fading gently into it. 

 The sides of the crown are of a lighter purple than elsewhere, giving rise to quite a conspicuous 

 supraorbital stripe, scarcely or not at all appreciable in eastern skins. 



The female of the western type differs from that of the eastern in being more olivaceous above, 

 and in having the streaks below rather larger, and not so well defined. There appears to be a 

 difi'erence in the marking of the wings. In eastern C. purpurtus there is usually a well marked 

 whitish band across the ends of the middle coverts, while the greater coverts, though margined 

 externally by paler, have a still lighter bar across the posterior extremity, which is not seen in 

 the western bird. 



The wing formula of the two species differs very greatly, the third quill in the western bird 

 being generally longest, instead of the second ; the first shorter than the fourth, instead of 

 much longer, and shorter than the third. 



