FK1N(;1LLIILE — THE FIXCTIES. 457 



Sp. Chak. (^ r)S,:)S«>, Givat Salt Lake City, I'tah, Juiu' 1. 1HG<>.) Alunt- hiowiiish- 

 <rray, faintly ^^lo.o-fil with red 011 the iiajx' and back ; w'm^j; ami tail li-athcrs passim^ into 

 lighter on their cfl^es, ami (K»isal feallu-is with ohsoleti' siiat't-streaks <»f daikt-r. A fro: 'al 

 band, abont as wide as the length nl" the euhneii. continuini^^ back in a sMj»ei-eiliary siiipe 

 to tiie oeeipnt, throat, jnirtdnni, and a pateh on the lower part of the nnnj* (Imt not 

 on npper tail-eoverts) earniine-seariet. Rest of lower parts white, eaeh feather with a 

 medial streak of I trow n like the back. Winir, •{. 1<> ; tail. L'.dO ; euhuen, .;')8 ; tarsns. .().') ; 

 middle ioo^ .;")'_>. 



(9 .'jS,:)!))*, Salt Lake City. June '_'!. 1S«;!>.) Similar, but red entirely absent, the throat 

 and ju^adum beiii«,' white streaked with brown, and the front, rump. etc.. t,'ravish. obso- 

 U'tely streaketl with darker. \Vin<r. Ji.OO ; tail, 2.40. 



(.///r. 40,79! », Fort \Vhi[»ple. Arizona. Jime '>. l.Sti,"),) Cienerally similar to the ad. 9. but 

 more brownish, and the win<r-fi*:ithers passinj^ into dull bully -ochraeeous on their edges; 

 streaks beneath narrower and less distinct. 



In winter the red is softer and less sharply defined, and usually of a more purplish tint; 

 the markings generally more l)lended. 



II.VH. Middle Province of the United States, frori Uoeky Mountains to the interior 

 valleys of California. 



Habits. This form of the House Fineli uppears to be n verj^ common bird 

 throu«,'hoiit the interior region of the United States, extending to New Mex- 

 ico and Arizona on the south and soutlieast, and ])robably to ^Fexico. On 

 the Uacitic coast it is replaced by another and closely allied variety. 



Dr. AVoodhoiise slates that his attention was first called to this interestin«: 

 little scjngster wliile at Sante Vv. It was there known to the American resi- 

 dents as the "Adobe Fincli." I>v the Mexicans thev were called Btiriones. 

 He found them exceedingly tame, huilding about the dwellings, churches, 

 and other buildings, in every nook and corner, and even entering tlie houses 

 to pick up crumbs. They are never disttubod l)y the inhalntants. He adds 

 that at tlie first dawn of the morning they commence a vi'r}* sweet and clear 

 warble, which he was (piite unable to do justice to by any verbal descrijition. 

 He lias often in the early morning listened with admiration and gratification 

 to the song of this bird, which is deservedly a great favcjrite. He found it 

 throughout New Mexico, and beyond. He did not distinguish it from the 

 coast variety. 



Dr. Cones also found this bird very abundant in Arizona, where it is a 

 permanent resident, but most abundant in spring and fall. He describes it as 

 eminently gregarious. He foinid it in all situations, but most common in the 

 spring among the groves of willows and jjoplars, on the buds of which it feeds. 

 He met with this species all the way from the IJio Grande through New 

 Mexico and Arizona to California, and ap])ears to have noted wo differences 

 between this form and the coast variety. He also mentions finding, during a 

 few days' stay in the New Mexican village of Los Pinos, near Alberquenpie, 

 on the Kio Grande, this pretty little Finch the most conmion and character- 

 istic of the local Inrds. It was there breeding indifferently in the court- 

 yards, sheds, under tiorticos or eaves, and also in the forks of trees in 

 the streets. It had sharp conflicts with the Darn Swallows, whose nests it 



