65. 
194. 
346 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. — PASSERES — OSCINES. 
CARPO'DACUS. (Gr. xapros, karpos, fruit; daxos, dakos, biting.) PuRPLE BULLFINCHES. 
Bill smaller and less turgid than in Pmmicola or Pyrhula, more regularly conic and more acute; 
sides convex in all directions, but with distinct Wage prolonged in a point on forehead where 
not concealed by the antiz, its outline moderately curved ; com- 
missure decidedly angulated, about straight before and behind the 
bend; gonys quite straight. Nasal ruff little developed, barely 
concealing the slight nasal fossee, thence falling over sides of bill, 
but discontinuous across culmen. Wings long and pointed, fold- 
ing half-way to end of tail or farther, pointed by first 3 or 4 quills. 
Tail much shorter than wings, considerably forked, with rather 
narrow feathers; both sets of coverts reaching more than half- 
way to end. Feet small and weak; tarsus shorter than middlo 
toe; lateral toes subequal, outer rather longer than inner, their claws reaching base of middle 
claw. Sexes unlike. J extensively red of some shade, 9 streaky brown and white. Head 
with erectile feathers, but not fairly crested. A beautiful genus, of several species of New and 
Old World. 
Fic. 210. — Bill of Purple 
Finch, nat. size. 
Analysis of Species ( #). 
Bill conic-acute, with scarcely convex culmen ; edgings of wing- and tail-feathers reddish. 
Large: length 6 50-7.00; bill at least 0.50 along culmen. Under tail-coverts streaked with dusky centres 
of the feathers. Crimson crown well distinguished from merely reddish-brown back. (Southwestern 
US wat. Se ee 5 ee es, 7 : . cassini 195 
Medium: length 5.75-6.25; bill not 0.50 along culmen. ‘yadee ‘tail- ce scarcely or n°. streaked. 
Crimson of crown not well distinguished from that of back. (U.S.). ... . ia nurpureus 14 
Bill conoid-obtuse, with very convex culmen. Edgings of wing- and tail-feathers whitish. 
Small: length scarcely 6.00; bill about 0.40 along culmen. Front, line over eye, rump and throat red, 
more or less contrasting with brown or white of other parts. 
Red pretty definitely restricted to the areas said (Southwestern U.S.) . . . . . . . Jrontalis 196 
Red spreading over other parts (Californian coast). . . . ... .... =. =. . Yrhodocolpus 197 
C. purpu’reus, (Lat. purpureus, purple. Figs. 210, 211.) Purpie Fincu (better Crim- 
son Fincu.) Adult g: Rose-red, paler below, insensibly whitening on belly and crissum, 
brightest anteriorly, intensified to crimson on crown, darker and more brownish-red on back, 
where also streaked with dark brown. Wings and tail 
dusky, the quills edged and coverts tipped with brownish- 
red, Lores and feathers about base of bill hoary-whitish. 
Bill and feet brown, the under mandible rather paler. 
Length 6.00-6.25; extent 10.00-10.60; wing 3.00-3.25 ; 
tail 2.25-2.50; tarsus 0.62; middle toe and claw 0.87; bill 
under 0.50. The shade of red is very variable, almost any- 
thing but purplish — according to season, and age and 
vigor of the individual. In high feather, the crown is 
richer crimson than any other part, but does not form a 
definite cap. The auriculars are dusky, and there is an 
appreciably light rosy stripe over them. Younger ¢ 
have frequently a bronzy shade. @ and young: Oliva- 
ceous-brown, more clearly olivaceous on rump, everywhere 
streaked with dusky. Below, white, marked everywhere | 
except on throat, belly, and crissum with streaks and _ Fig. 211.— Purple Finch, g, reduced. 
arrow-heads of dusky olive-brown; the latter pretty (Sheppard del. Nichols, sc.) 
evenly distributed on breast, former the same on sides, on the sides of neck and throat con- 
fluent and gathered into a maxillary series running up to the bill, separated by a poorly- 
defined whitish area from the olive-brown auriculars, over which is a whitish postocular 
streak. Wings and tail as in @, but the edgings plain brown. Length 5.70-5.90; extent 
