288 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



known birds of Southern California. Prof. Kvermann found it to be 

 by far the most common bird of Ventura county, and obtained the first 

 full complement of eggs early in April. The bird will place its nest 

 anywhere, from the limb of any tree to the side of a haystack or a tin 

 can on a porch. It is made of anything that the bird happens to find 

 handy grasses, straws, roots, etc., and the nest of an Oriole or Cliff 

 Swallow is often occupied. 



Mr. Shields states that in Los Angeles county, California, this 

 species begins nesting in the first part of April, and eggs may be found 

 from that time into the first of July. Two, and sometimes three 

 broods are reared in a season. The eggs are four or five, usually five 

 in number ; their color is of a pale bluish or, as some would call it, 

 pale greenish-blue, sparsely marked with spots, specks and lines of 

 very dark brown or black, chiefly around the larger end. Some speci- 

 mens before me are unmarked. An average set of five eggs offer the 

 following measurements : .82X.57, .85X.54, .84X.55, .83X.54, .82X.52. 

 The average of twenty specimens is .82 x .58. 



520. Carpodacus ampins RIDGW. [171.] 



Guadalupe House Finch. 



Hab. Guadalupe Island, Lower California. 



This darker colored House Finch was found to be quite common 

 on Guadalupe Island, by Mr. Bryant, when he visited that place in 

 1885. The species did not differ in its habits or song from frontalis. 

 February 22 two nests were found in cypress trees nearly completed, 

 and one with five eggs was taken March i. The last nest taken was 

 on April 7, and contained five eggs with small embryos in them. 

 Nearly all the nests were placed on the branches of cypress trees ; the 

 birds seemed to show a preference for the leeward side, where the nest 

 would be protected from prevailing winds. One pair built in a clump of 

 mistletoe at a height of twenty feet ; others built in the tops of palms. 

 The materials used were the finer dead stems of weeds ; in one nest 

 the foundation and sides were made of pine needles. The lining was 

 invariably of goat's hair. The eggs, sometimes four in number, but 

 oftener five, during the early part of the season, are colored precisely 

 like the average specimen of C. M. frontalis, the spots being either spar- 

 ingly applied or entirely wanting. They also resemble them in gen- 

 eral shape, but the size serves to distinguish them. Five eggs in one 

 set measure 22x15, 22x15.5, 22.5x15.5, 23x15.5, 23x16.5 mm.* 

 The length measurement varies from 19.5-24 mm., and the width 15- 

 16.5 mm. The average size of thirty-two specimens is 21.3 x 15.5 mm.f 



* .87 x .59, .87x.61, .89 x .61, .91x.61, .91 x .65. 



t .77 to .94 in length by .59 to .65 in breadth; average .84 x .61. 



