466 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



coverts aid nli(lniin;ii with l)ri>iul streaks of dusky. Oeiienil color above, iiieludiiig wings, 

 tail, and upper tail-covi'ris. lirownisli-giay, the leathers with iif,'hter edije.s. Heneath 

 white, each leather with a medial streak ol dusky. Male. A hroad frontal ereseent, ex- 

 tiMidiiig baek in a siipereiiiary slri]>e to the occiput, a patch on the rump (not the upper tail- 

 eoverts), and an area eoveriuf; cheeks, chin, tiiroat, and juguhnn red, — bright scarlet in 

 spring, rosy in fall. Female without tlu! red, which is replaced by a nniforin streaking. 

 YimiHf resembling tlic I'enude, but streaks le.-is sharply delincd ; those above more dis- 

 tinct. Wiug-eoverts broadly edged with light earth-brown. 



Tliis siK'cios iiilmbits tlio western regions of North America, irom tlie 

 Uocky Miimitiiiiis to tlie I'acifie ; aiul Ale.xico, e.xeept, perluips, the eastern 

 portion. In this range of tlistril)ntion it oecnrs in three races, whicli, taking 

 e.vtrenie extiniith's, are well marked, but when a large series is extimined are 

 fonnil to grade insensil)ly into each other. 



The above description is genertil, being inoditied oidy by atlditiomtl charac- 

 ters in the several races. The normal pliiniiige is perliai)s rejircseiited in tlie 

 central race, — tlie true frvji/til is, as restricted, — whicli inluibits the ^Middle 

 Province of the United States, ;ind is nearly its described tibove ; the red of 

 the male of this style is of a bright scarlet tint, ami in nciirly all specimens 

 shows a tendency to escape the boundaries iibove indicated. As we go south 

 into Mexico, we find the red strictly contiiied within those limits, very siiarply 

 defined; and, under the tropical influence, intensified into a very bright car- 

 mine tint; this latter is tiie C. hoiiwrvhons of authors. Following the var. 

 froiUaliii westward, we find it gradually changing, the red invading more and 

 more the other portions, until, in s])ecimens from the coast of (Jalifornia and 

 from Caj)e St. Liu.-is, it is si)rciid over all [xtrtions, except the anal region, 

 wing, and tail, — tliough .ilways brightest within those outlines which con- 

 fine it in the two preceding varieties. In extreme examples of the latter 

 race, — the C. rhodocolpiis of Cabanis, — the red even obliterates the streaks 

 on the abdomen. Tiie s])reading of tlie red is seen in other birds of the IV 

 citic region, this case being exactl}' paralleled by the Sphnropkm ruber, iu its 

 relation to S. nucha/ in or *S'. varius. 



The females and young of the three racer, arc quite difficult to distinguish 

 from each other, the loctility being the best means of identifying them. 



Carpodacus frontalis, xar. frontalis, TrKVY. 



CRIXSON-FRONTED FINCH; BUBION. 



Friiigilla frontalis, Say, Long's Kxp. II, 1824, 4n. — (?K\rn. Orn. liing. V, 1839,230, 

 pi. c'cco.xxiv. Piirrhnla t: Hon at. Ami. Oru. I, 182,'), 49, pi. vi. KriiHirmpixn f. IJox. 

 List, 1838. — In. P. Z. S. 1837, 112. — (?) Ai-n. Syn. 183<», 12,-). —In. IJirds \m. Ill, 

 1841, 175, pi. cxcvii. — Oamh. .1. A. N. S. 2d scries, I, 1847, .')3. Frimiilln {Pijrrhitia) 

 f. (iAMii. P. A. N. S. !, 1843, 2()2. Ciir/xxliic'ii/. (JiiAV, (ien. 184 1- 49. — Mcl'AU,, 

 P. A. X. S. V, IS.Il, 219. — nAllil), Birds X. Am. IS.xS, 41.'). f Cnr/mila-un ohsritrus; 

 MeCAi.r,, P. A. N. .S. V, .luiio, 18r)l, 221), .Santa Fc, N. M. (yariMilaaia familiari.% 

 McCai.1., p. a. N. S. VII, April, 1852, (II, Santa Fo, N. M. 



