94 THE CALIFORNIA PURFLETINCII. 



California. Besides his own wild, exultant notes, he rapidly strings together 

 those of other birds, and renders the whole with the s])ontaneity and some- 

 thing of the accent of the Lark Sparrow. Indeed, when I tirst heard one 

 sing on a crisp May morning on the hanks ni the Cohinil)ia, I thought I was 

 liearing a rare inirst of the latter bird, so much of its song had Inrcn appropri- 

 ated hv tlie Finch. Hesides this, strains of Western V'esjx'r Si)arrow. Moun- 

 tain niuebird, and Louisiana Tanagcr were recognized. 



CALIFORNIA PLRTLK FINCH. 



No. 34. 



.\. ( ). I'. No. 517a. Carpodacus purpureas californicus i'aird. 



Description.— ./(/w// iimlc: (kiu-ral hotly plumage rich crimson or rosy red, 

 clearest on crown and upjier 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{f) plumage: exactly like female in coloration. Length 

 about 5.75 (14^"!): wing 3.07 (78): tail 2.28 (58); bill .45 (11.5); tarsus 

 .70 ( 17.O). 



RecoKnition A\arks. — "Warbler size" but sturdier, an uiunistakable sparrow: 

 rosy coloration of male distinctive (without crossed mandibles) but streaky 

 jiattern oftenest seen. Distinguishable from the Pine Siskin iSpinus piiius ) In- 

 larger size, more sedate ways and absence of sulphury wing- and tail-markings. 



Nesting. — Xest: 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 2'i in. wide by I'j in. deep. Eggs: 4 or 5. light greenish 

 blue, spotted and streaked with violaceous and black, chiefly al>out the larger end. 

 Round ovate to elongate ovate; varying in dimensions from .75 x .56 ( i<>x 14.2) 

 to .91 X .59 (22.8 X \-,). 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 \'ancouver Islam!). 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 .tihI ciiltivatcil sections. Irregularly resident but numbers augmented 

 in sprint,'. 



Authorities. — Carpodacus californicus Baird, Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Snrv. 

 IX. 1S5S. 414. T. C&S. L'. Rh. Kb. Ra. Kk. B. E. 



Specimens.— U. of W. Prov. P. B. BN. E. 



