^"'sg?'^] Prick, Descriptioii of a New Pine Grosbeak. 1 85 



The next time I observed the species was in 1895. I obtained, 

 June 27, a fine male near Silver Lake in Amador Co. (about 20 

 miles due south of Pyramid Peak), and saw on the same date a 

 female which was evidently its mate. No more were seen in that 

 locality, but in July of the same summer I saw two or three indi- 

 viduals in fir woods on Pyramid Peak, but secured none. 



Last summer, 1896, I again visited Pyramid Peak, and was 

 fortunate in getting a fine series of Pinicola, 20 specimens in all, 

 and of which all but 4 were available for examination in making 

 the present report. I was assisted in my field work by Mr. C. S. 

 Dole, and Mr. P. O. Simons, and to their efforts is greatly due the 

 large and interesting series. 



The greater number of adults were taken on the edges of alpine 

 pastures where salt is placed on fallen logs for stock. The Pine 

 Grosbeak visits these ' salt licks ' in company with Cassin's Purple 

 Finch and the Western Evening Grosbeak, and was at all times 

 exceedingly fearless and unsuspicious. The males have a very 

 pleasing song, and hearing it upon one occasion, I thought it 

 resembled the song of Carpodacus cassini. Their call-note is not 

 loud and grating like the note of the Evening Grosbeak. 



They breed late, as attested by two nestlings brought to me 

 July 29, by a camper, who found them on the lower branches of a 

 fir in a wild glen at the western base of Pyramid Peak, at about 

 9000 feet elevation. He did not see any nest, nor did the parent 

 birds put in an appearance. The same day Mr. Dole and Mr. 

 Simons each obtained a young specimen, perhaps five days older. 

 These could fly quite easily. On August 3, while collecting in a 

 forest of fir east of Pyramid Peak, Mr. Dole obtained two addi- 

 tional young, which were nearly full grown. The female parent 

 which was feeding them was also secured. 



The crop and stomach of an adult contained the soft leaf ends 

 of Pinus murrayana and Abies magnifica, besides seeds and 

 portions of various insects. 



I have taken the following notes from Mr. Belding's ' Land 

 Birds of the Pacific District': " L. B. — Summit, Central Pacific 

 Railroad (Placer Co.), August 11, 1882, tolerably common; from 

 June 23 to July 10, 1885, an adult male and female feeding in 

 alders ; during this time these only ; but later in August and 



