CATALOGUE OF VERTEBRATES. 537 



Family FRIXGILLIDiE. 



Finches. 



A very large family. "One-eighth of all the North American birds 

 are FringiUidce.'^ — Jordan. "Any one locality of average attractive- 

 ness to birds has a bird fauna of over two hundred species, and if it 

 be away from the sea-coast and consequently uninhabited by marine 

 birds, about one- fourth of the species are Sylvicolidcc and Fringillidce 

 together, the latter somewhat in excess of the former." — Coues. 



All are granivorous, feeding on seeds, and occasionally berries and 

 insects. Nearly all sing ; most are plain, but a few are brilliant of 

 plumage. The bill is short, thick and conical, with the " corners of 

 the mouth drawn down," as in the more slender-billed Icteridce. 



PINICOLA, Vieill. 

 P. enucleator canadensis, Cab. American Pine Grosbeak. 



Male chiefly red ; white wing bars ; female brownish yellow 

 on head and rump. Length, 8 J inches ; tail, 4 inches. North- 

 ern form, coming south to northern United States in winter. 



" Twice has been seen by the author in winter, but is a rare 

 visitant. Those seen by the author were in cedar trees." — 

 [C. C. A.] 



CARPODACUS, Kaup. 

 C. purpureas, Gmel. Purple Finch. 



Tail feathers rounded and soft, none white ; male flushed with 

 red, most intense on head and neck, fading below and behind ; 

 female olive brown, with no red ; bill stout. Length, 6 inches ; 

 tail, 2| inches. 



" Quite common. Irregularly abundant. Prefers hillsides 

 with a southern exposure, and during the winter is found gen- 

 erally in small flocks. InoSensive." 



LOXIA. L. 



(Curvirostra.) 



L. curvirostra minor, Brehm. {Curvirostra americana — Abbott's Cata- 

 logue). Red Crossbill. American Crossbill. 



Points of mandibles crossed, reddish ; male brick red, wings 

 unmarked ; female brownish olive. Length, 6 inches ; tail, 2^ 

 inches. 



