462 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



to the warolings of the Virco flavifrons, but the ^mssages in its song as much 

 excel those of the Vireo in sweetness as they are surpassed in richness by 

 the warblings of the latter. When one of two females of this sx^ecies had 

 been killed, the survivor, missing her companion, I'eturned immediately to 

 the tree and hopped from branch to branch, and then alighted on the ground 

 by the side of her dead associate, lamenting her in sweet and plaintive cries. 



By the 4th of April the pine-trees about Carson City were alive with 

 these handsome birds, all of whom were in full soug. So many were singing 

 simultaneously that the chorus was almost deafening, yet was most exquisitely 

 pleasing. 



The nests of this bird were found by Mr. Eidgway in various situations, 

 such as a box-elder bush, the tops of cottonwood and aspen trees, and simi- 

 lar situations. The eggs, four in number, are in size .82 by .63 of an inch, 

 oval in shape, pointed at the smaller end, of a light bluish-green ground, dot- 

 ted around the larger end with slate, lilac, and a blackish-brown. 



Specimens were obtained by Dr. Sartorius, during the breeding-season 

 (June, 1864), in the pine forests of Mt. Orizaba. A careful comparison 

 shows no difference from birds procured in the same month in Nevada. 



Carpodacus pnrpureus, Gray. 



EASTERN PURPLE FINCH. 



Fringilla 2mrpurea, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 923. —Wilson, Am. Orn. I, 1808, 119, 

 pi. Adi, f. 4. — Ib. V, 1812, 87, pi. xlii, f. 3. — Aud. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 24 ; V, 200, 

 pi. iv. Hoemorrhoics purpurea, Swainson, Birds, II, 1837, 295. Erythrospiza pur- 

 purea, Bp. List, 1838. — Aud. Birds Am. Ill,* 1841, 170, pi. cxcvi. Carpodacus pur- 

 pureus, Gray's Genera, 1844-49. — Bon. & Schlegel, Mon. des Loxiens, 14, tab. xv. 

 — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 412. — Samuels, Birds N. Eng. 285. ? Loxia violacea, 

 Linn. Syst. Nat. 1766, 306, 43. (Very uncertain.) Purple Finch, Catesby, Pen- 

 nant, Lath. Hemp-Bird, Bartram. 



Sp. Char. Second quill longest ; first shorter than third, considerably longer than the 

 fourth. Body crimson, palest on the rump and breast, darkest across the middle of back 

 and wing-coverts, where the feathers have dusky centres. The red extends below con- 

 tinuously to the lower part of the breast, and in spots to the tibite. The belly and under 

 tail-coverts white, streaked faintly with brown, except in the very middle. Edges of 

 wings and tail-feathers brownish-red ; lesser coverts like the back. Two reddish bands 

 across the wings (over the ends of the middle and greater coverts). Lores dull grayish. 

 Length, 6.25 inches; wing, 3.34; tail, 2.50; bill above, .46. Female. Olivaceous-brown 

 above ; brighter on the rump. Beneath white ; all the feathers everywhere streaked with 

 brown, except on the middle of the belly and under coverts. A superciliary light stripe. 



Hab. North America, from Atlantic to the high Central Plains. 



Habits. The Purple Finch is a common species from Georgia to the 

 plains of the Saskatcliewan, and as far west as the Great Plains, beyond which 

 it seems to be replaced by another race, or closely allied species. It breed.s 

 from about latitude 40° to perhaps 60°, and in most parts between these 



