312 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



Remarks. The male Cassin finch may be distinguished by its large size, 

 bright squarish crown patch, dull rump, 

 unstreaked under parts, and distinct 

 streaks on under tail coverts. 



Distribution. Breeds in Canadian 

 zone from British Columbia to Mexico ; 

 from the eastern slope of the Rocky 

 Mountains to the Pacific ; and migrates 

 through Mexico to Mt. Orizaba. 



Nest. Near tops of young firs and 

 pines on a horizontal branch ; rather thin 

 and flat, composed largely of rootlets 

 an< ^ 8 Tasses - Eggs : 2 to 4, finely spec- 

 kled, chiefly around the larger end, with 

 Fig. 397. Cassiu Purple Pinch. black and dark brown. 



The Cassia finch is the purple finch of the mountains, breeding 

 from the lower edge of the firs to timberline. Its square crimson 

 crown patch is a striking sign mark in the shade of the woods, and 

 its sweet song gains richness from its forest setting. Even in winter 

 the birds stay as high as they can. In southern California, Mr. 

 Grinnell says they rarely come as low as the foothills, but go about 

 in small flocks, feeding in the brush as long as it is not entirely 

 covered with snow. 



Subgenus Burrica. 

 519. Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis (Say). HOUSE FINCH. 



Adult male. Forehead, superciliary, and rump rose pink, orange red, 

 or scarlet ; rest of upper parts brownish gray, 

 sometimes washed with reddish ; back not dis- 

 ^ tinctly streaked ; throat and breast reddish ; belly 



Fig 398 Male whitish, sharply and closely streaked with brown ; 



tail not decidedly shorter than wing, nearly even ; 



wing feathers edged with pale grayish instead of reddish. Adult female : 

 upper parts grayish brown, indistinctly streaked ; 

 under parts white, broadly streaked. Young: 

 similar to female, but back more distinctly 



Fig 399 Female streaked, under parts more narrowly and less 



distinctly streaked ; wing coverts tipped with 

 buffy. Male : length (skins) 4.80-6.10, wing 2.99-3.33, tail 2.14-2.60, bill 

 .38-.50, Female : length (skins) 5.00-5.63, wing 2.77-3.05, tail 2.00-2.40, 

 bill .39-.43. 



Remarks. The sharp uniform streaking of under parts distinguish the 

 house finch from the California and Cassin. Individuals suggest dichro- 

 matism in varying amount of yellow in plumage. (See Condor, Jan. 1901, 

 13.) 



Distribution. Breeds in Upper and Lower Sonoran zones from western 

 parts of Kansas and Texas to the Pacific, and from Oregon to northern 

 Lower California and northern Mexico. 



Nest. Compactly woven, largely of dried grass stems and plant fibers, 

 placed in trees, cactus, or sagebrush, but preferably about houses. Eggs : 

 3 to 6, bluish white or pale greenish blue sparsely speckled, chiefly around 

 larger end, with black. 



