466 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



coverts and abdomen with broad streaks of dusky. General color above, including wind's 

 tail, and upper tail-coverts, brownish-gray, the feathers with lighter edges. Beneath 

 white, each feather with a medial streak of dusky. Male. A broad frontal crescent, ex- 

 tending back in a superciliary stripe to the occiput, a patch on the rump (not the upper tail- 

 .coverts), and an area covering cheeks, chin, throat, and jugulum red, — bright scarlet in 

 spring, rosy in fall. Female without the red, which is replaced by a uniform streaking. 

 Young resembling the female, but streaks less sharply defined ; those above more dis- 

 tinct. Wing-coverts broadly edged with light earth-brown. 



This species inhabits the western regions of North America, from the 

 Eocky Mountains to the Pacific ; and Mexico, except, perhaps, tlie eastern 

 portion. In this range of distribution it occurs in three races, whicli, taking- 

 extreme examples, are well marked, but when a large series is examined are 

 found to grade insensibly into each other. 



The above description is general, being modified only by additional charac- 

 ters in the several races. The normal plumage is perhaps represented in tlie 

 central race, — the true frontal is, as restricted, — wliich inhabits the Middle 

 Province of the United States, and is nearly as described above ; the red of 

 the male of this style is of a blight scarlet tint, and in nearly all specimens 

 shows a tendency to escape the boundaries above indicated. As we go south 

 into Mexico, we find tlie red strictly confined within those limits, very sharply 

 defined ; and, under the tropical influence, intensified into a very bright car- 

 mine tint ; this latter is the C. hajmorrhous of authors. Following the var. 

 frontalis westward, we find it gradually changing, the red invading more' and 

 more the other portions, until, in specimens from the coast of California and 

 from Cape St. Lucas, it is spread over all portions, except the anal region, 

 wing, and tail, — though always brightest within those outlines which con- 

 fine it in the two preceding varieties. In extreme examples of the latter 

 race, — the G. rhodocolpus of Cabanis, — the red even obliterates the streaks 

 on the abdomen. The spreading of the red is seen in other birds of the Pa- 

 cific region, this case being exactly paralleled by the Sphyropicus ruber, in its 

 relation to S. nuchalis or S. varius. 



The females and young of the three races are quite difficult to distinguish 

 from each other, the locality being the best means of identifying them. 



Carpodacus frontalis, var. frontalis, Gray. 



CRIMSON-FRONTED FINCH; BTIRION. 



Fringilla frontalis. Say, Long's Exp. II, 1824, 40. — (?) Aim. Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 230, 

 pi. ccccxxiv. Pyrrhulaf. Bonap. Am. Orn. I, 1825, 49, pi. vi. Erythrospiza f. Bon. 

 List, 1838. —Ib. p. Z. S. 1837, 112. - (?) Aud. Syn. 1839, 125. —Ib. Birds Am. IK, 

 1841, 175, pi. excvii. — Gamb. J. A. N. S. 2d series, I, 1847, 53. Fringilla (Pyrrhula) 

 f. Gamb. P. A. N. S. I, 1843, 262. Carpodacus/. Gray, Gen. 1844-49. —McC all, 

 P. A. N. S. V, 1851, 219. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 415. ? Carpodacus obsciirus, 

 McCall, p. a. N. S. V, June, 1851, 220, Santa Fe, N. M. Carpodacus familiaris, 

 McCall, p. a. N. S. VII, April, 1852, 61, Santa Fe, IST. M. 



