04 THE CALIFORNIA PURPLE FINCH. 
California. Besides his own wild, exultant notes, he rapidly strings together 
those of other birds, and renders the whole with the spontaneity and some- 
thing of the accent of the Lark Sparrow. Indeed, when I first heard one 
sing on a crisp May morning on the banks of the Columbia, I thought I was 
hearing a rare burst of the latter bird, so much of its song had been appropri- 
ated by the Finch. Besides this, strains of Western Vesper Sparrow, Moun- 
tain Bluebird, and Louisiana Tanager were recognized. 
CALIFORNIA PURPLE FINCH. 
No. 34. 
A. O. U. No. 517a. Carpodacus purpureus californicus Baird. 
Description.—Adult male: General body plumage rich crimson or rosy red, 
clearest on crown and upper tail-coverts, more or less mingled with dusky on 
back and scapulars, passing into white on crissum and under tail-coverts; wings 
and tail brownish dusky with reddish edgings. Bill and feet brownish. Adult 
female: Above olive dusky in streaks, with edging or gloss of brighter olivaceous ; 
underparts whitish, everywhere, save on middle abdomen, crissum and under tail- 
coverts, streaked with olive dusky, finely on throat, broadly on breast and sides, 
shading into pattern of upperparts on sides of head, neck and chest. Immature 
male, and male in ordinary(?) plumage: exactly like female in coloration. Length 
about 5.75 (146); wing 3.07 (78); tail 2.28 (58); bill .45 (11.5); tarsus 
Om Gl. )) 
Recognition Marks.— ‘Warbler size” but sturdier, an unmistakable sparrow ; 
rosy coloration of male distinctive (without crossed mandibles) but streaky 
pattern oftenest seen. Distinguishable from the Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) by 
larger size, more sedate ways and absence of sulphury wing- and tail-markings. 
Nesting.—Nest: well built, of fir twigs, heavily lined with green moss, 
horse-hair, string, etc.; placed in tree (deciduous or evergreen) at elevation of 
5-40 feet and usually at some distance from trunk; measures outside 5 in. wide 
by 3 in. deep, inside 21% in. wide by 1% in. deep. Eggs: 4 or 5, light greenish 
blue, spotted and streaked with violaceous and black, chiefly about the larger end. 
Round ovate to elongate ovate; varying in dimensions from .75 x .56 (19 x 14.2) 
to .QI x .59 (22.8x15). Season: first week in May and first week in June; two 
broods. 
General Range.—Pacific coast district from southern California north to 
British Columbia (including Vancouver Island). More or less resident thruout 
range but drifts (casually?) to southeastward in Arizona during migrations. 
Range in Washington.—West-side, chiefly at lower levels; especially partial 
to orchards and cultivated sections. Irregularly resident but numbers augmented 
in spring. 
Authorities——Carpodacus californicus Baird, Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. 
XS TS58)4tAy a C&S" le Rina iKba Rakes Baek 
Specimens.—U. of W. Prov. P. B. BN. E. 
