Merrill on Birds of Fort Klamath , Oregon. 357 



NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF FORT KLAMATH, 

 OREGON. 



P.Y DR. J. C. MERRILL, L^. S. A. 



With remarks on certain species by William Brewster. 

 [Concluded /ro?n p. 262.] 



Coccothraustes vespertina. — A common resident. Several large flocks 

 arrived from the south early in March, and smaller ones were seen until 

 the middle of May, after which only pairs and single birds were observed. 

 During the spring I obtained specimens at short intei'vals, and from care- 

 ful dissections of them am convinced that in this vicinity the bird is a late 

 breeder, not depositing eggs before the latter pai't of June or the first of 

 July. At this time they are generally to be found in the largest firs, and 

 in these trees, rather than in pines, I think they build, at least about Fort 

 Klamath. Indeed, I have twice watched pairs carrying some building 

 material into a huge fir, but was unable to locate the nests exactly and, 

 even if I had, should probably have been unable to get to them, great as 

 the inducement would have been. 



Their note is a loud whistling call that may be heard at a considerable 

 distance, and which is often repeated. In winter the crops were filled 

 with seeds and crushed buds, and often fine bits of gravel; in summer in- 

 sects, and especially caterpillars, were generally found. 



It is rather diflicult to prepare good specimens of this Grosbeak, for the 

 skin is very thin, tears easily, and many feathers drop out; when one is 

 shot, and in falling happens to strike a branch, so many feathers are gen- 

 erally knocked out that it is not worth skinning. In winter, when there 

 is snow on the ground, good specimens may be obtained by shooting 

 only such birds as will have a clear fall from the branch they are on 

 into soft snow. 



There is considerable variation in the color of the bill, and this is inde- 

 pendent of sex; in some the entire bill is a clear light apple-green, 

 scarcely or not at all tinged with yellow; in others the maxilla is pale 

 yellowish tinged slightly with green, the mandible being horn color, 

 tinged with greenish yellow only at the tip and cutting edge, and there 

 are many gradations between these extremes. I have seen none in which 

 the bill was "dusky at the base," as stated in ' History of N. A. Birds,' 

 and which is probably the result of drying. 



Carpodacus purpureas californicus.— A single specimen killed March i, 

 one of the next species being also obtained by the same discharge into a 

 small flock which had passed the winter in the valley. 



Carpodacus cassini. — Cassin's Purple Finch appears to be a resident 

 species, rare in winter, and arriving irregularly in spring in advance of 

 the general migration of the species, after which it becomes very common. 



