470 NORTH AMKIUCAN BIRDS. 



near Santa Cruz. Uv statrs tliat their liahits are very similar to tliose of the 

 C. frisfis, though they leed more on the ^^round, and more ui)on weeds than 

 on trees, and are even more <ire<j:arious, remaining: assoeiated in Hocks uj> to 

 the first of »Fune. Their song greatly resembles that of the common Gold- 

 finch, but is much fainter. 



Dr. ('oo]>er never met with their nest, nor has ho received any description 

 of it. Mr. Xantus found one, containing four eggs, on the branch of an 

 Ohionr, about ten feet from tiie ground. Tiiis was at Fort Tejon, the first of 

 May. Dr. Cantield haj also found their nests, in considerable nundiers, near 

 Monterev. Thev are built in the forks of trees, in the same manner with 

 the fristis, are structures of remarkable beauty, and evince great skill in the 

 architects. They contain usually four or five eggs. K.xcept in size, their 

 eggs greatly resemble those of the C. tristis, being of a uniform greenish- 

 white, unspotted, of a rounded-oval shape, sharply pointed at one end. They 

 measure .00 by .50 of an inch. 



Chrysomitris psaltria, var. arizonsD, Coues. 



ABIZOKA GOLDFINCH. 



Chrysomitris nuxicana^ var. arizonocy CouES, P. A. N. S. 1866. — Cooper, Orn. Cal. I, 170. 



Sp. Char. ( $ .'>7,092. Fort Winprate, Ari;^ona, June 28, 1801.) Above, inclmlinir anriru- 

 lars glos.-^y Itluck, with a fjiiiit hlui.^h ii'll«'i'tit»n ; na]t«', hack, and niiiii) nmoh mixed with 

 olive-irreen, this rather predominatini^ ; laro^er coverts broadly tipped with grayish-white; 

 tertials with almost the entire exposed portion of the outer webs, white; a i)ateh on 

 base of piimaries, antl the inner webs of the tail-feathers, except the ends, white. Be- 

 neath entirely lemon-yellow. Winjjf, 2..'j0 ; tail, 1.70; cuhnen, .3'>; tarsus, .'>0. 



Had. Southern Ijoundary of Ariztjna and New Mexico, extendinir southward into 

 Mexico, and gradually changing into mejcicana, and northward iiiio psaltria. 



The specimen described above is from a series collected in Arizona by Dr. 

 Coues : these examjdes vary in the relative amount of black and olive on 

 the back, some having one, and others the other color predominating ; the 

 type selected is one which represents about the average plumage of this 

 species from Arizona. 



Habits. Dr. Coues found these birds abundant summer residents of Ari- 

 zona, where they are said to arrive the last of April and to remain until the 

 middle of 8e})tend)er. In August the males are stated to assume the dull 

 plumage of the females. In autumn they become decidedly gregarious, and 

 feed almost exclusively upon buds and seeds. He thinks they are not so 

 numerous in the southern portions of the Territory. In a letter received 

 from him he remarks : — 



" This bird was found to be common in Xew Mexico near Fort Wingate, 

 at the eastern base of the main chain of mountains. I first observed it on the 

 28th of June, when I found quite a number together, and secured several 



