FINCHES 373 



time they managed to get along without quarreling, and have 

 been kept in one cage ever since. 



It was very interesting to observe the moulting of the male 

 and see him gradually take on the adult plumage. July 20 

 a few orange colored feathers could be observed on his head 

 near the base of the bill; these gradually grew until on August 

 1 his drab colored head feathers were all replaced by orange 

 colored ones. July 25 a few orange feathers were noted on 

 his throat, and these grew and replaced the old ones until on 

 September 5 the moult was completed. The feathers of the 

 head, throat, etc., are a peculiar orange color instead of the 

 beautiful red hue which characterizes the wild birds of the 

 same sex. 



Genus CARPODACUS Kaup. 



517. Carpodcxus purpureas (Gmel.). Purple Finch. 



Plumage of adult male : wings and tail fuscous, narrowly edged on outer 

 webs of feathers with rose red ; belly white or whitish ; back brownish ; 

 head, throat, rump, breast, back, sides and belly more or less suffused, edged 

 and washed with rose red. In captive males after the first moult the rose 

 red is replaced by orange. Plumage of adult females : above grayish brown, 

 streaked with darkish or black ; whitish or white below, much streaked with 

 fuscous. Immature plumage: very similar to that of female. In all plu- 

 mages the outer tail feathers are longest ; there is a tuft of bristles over the 

 nostrils. Wing 3.20 ; bill 0.40 ; tail 2.32. 



Geog. Dist. — Eastern North America from the Plains to the Atlantic ; 

 breeds from Long Island and Minnesota northward ; wintering from the 

 northern boundary of the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. 



County Records. — Androscoggin ; common summer resident, a few remain 

 here some winters, (Johnson). Aroostook ; locally common summer resident 

 north to the Woolastook Valley, (Knight). Cumberland; common summer 

 resident, (Mead); a few wintered about Westbrook and Gorham through 

 1891-92, (Norton). Franklin ; common summer resident, (Swain) ; resident 

 sometimes, (Sweet). Hancock; occurs every month, (Mrs. W. H. Gardner); 

 commonest as summer resident, (Knight). Kennebec; rare resident, (Gar- 

 diner Branch). Knox; summer, (Rackliff). Oxford; breeds commonly, 

 (Nash). Penobscot; locally common summer and rare winter resident, 

 (Knight). Piscataquis; breeds, resident mild winters, (Homer). Sagadahoc ; 

 common, except in midwinter, (Spinney). Somerset ; quite common summer 

 resident, (Morrell). Waldo; locally common in summer, a few in winter. 



