NESTS AND EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



nOa. Crimson House Finch — carpodacus frontalis rhodocolpus. 

 Bluish-white, marked with spots and Hnes of a dark brown or black ; four 

 to six in number, and measure .75 to .82 in length, with an average breadth 

 of .60. The California House-finch, Red-headed Linnet, or Burion, at it is 

 differently called, is a very common bird throughout the Pacific coast, 

 from Oregon to Mexico. Like var. ffontalis, it places its nest anywhere. 

 Mr. Evermann says, this bird, in California, will place its nest anyv/here, 

 from the limb of any tree to the side of a haystack or tin can on a porch. 

 It is made of anything that the bird happens to find handy — grasses, straws, 

 roots, etc. The nest of an Oriole or Cliff Swallow is often occupied by 



this bird. Hab. Coast region of Pacific Province, and peninsula of Lower California. 



172. American Crossbill — loxia curvirostra Americana. Greenish- 

 white, with irregular spots and dottings of lavender-brown, varying in 

 shade, with a few heavy surface spots of dark purple-brown ; usually four 

 eggs; size .85 by .53. This bird breeds from Massachusetts northward. 

 A nest has been found in the Lower Hudson Valley, N. Y. , placed in a 

 cedar of scanty foliage, eighteen feet from the ground ; one was found in 

 East Randolph, Vt. , in an upper branch of a leafless elm, earl)'- in March, 

 when the ground was covered with snow. The American Red Crossbill 

 constructs its nest chiefly of spruce twigs, loosely arranged, cedar bark, 

 grasses and fine rootlets, with a lining of horse hair and finer vegetable 

 substances. 



Hab. North America, generally, coming Southward in the winter. Resident in the Alleghany and Rocky 

 Mountains. 



173. White-winged Crossbill — loxia leucoptera. Pale blue, the larger 

 end rather thickly spattered with black and ashy lilac; size .80 by .56. 

 Breeds from Northern New England, northward ; found in Wyoming in 

 summer. The nidification is said to resemble that of Americana. The 

 nest is described as being composed of spruce twigs and lichens, lined 

 with hair and shreds of bark. 



Hab. Northern North America; south in winter to United States. 



174. Aleutian Rosy Finch — leucosticte griseinucha. White, or 

 grayish-white, with a slight yellowish tinge; three to six, usually four in 

 number; size .95 by .70. The Aleutian Rosy Finch is the largest of the 

 species of this genus known to inhabit North America. It is found in 

 abundance on the Pribylow and other Aleutian islands. The nest is made 

 on the ground, composed of a few straws and moss lined with feathers. 

 The nests and eggs of others of this genus are not certainly known, but 

 probably resemble those of griseinucha. 



179. Common Redpoll — v^-Giothuslinaria. Pale bluish-green, speckled 

 chiefly in a wreath around the the larger end with rusty brown, varying in 



