4G8 NORTH AMEllICAX BIRDS. 



often took possession of, and was a lively and most agreeable leaturo in the 

 dirty towns wliicli it honored witli its presence ; and its songs were at once 

 sweet, clear, and exquisitely melodious. 



Dr. Coojier met with tliese birtls anK)ng the barren and rocky hills near 

 the (Colorado. 



Mr. Kiilgway, who found these birds breeding in large numbers at Pyra- 

 mid Lake, informs me lliat their nests Avere usually placed in clefts in rocks, 

 or in a cave. Near Salt Lake City they were also very common, building 

 their nests among the slirubs known as the wild mahogany, on the hills, but 

 never freipieuting the higiier regions of the mountains. 



The eggs of tliis bird, which are not distinguisliable from those of the 

 Pacific coast form, have a delicate pale-blue ground-color, which is very 

 fugitive, and fades e\en in the drawers of a cabinet. They are sparingly 

 marked, chielly around the more obtuse end, with sjujts and lines of black 

 and a dark brown. They are of o\al sliape, elongate and pointed at one end, 

 and measure .HU of an incli in h^ngth by .GO in breadth. 



Carpodacus froutalis, \ar. rhodocolpus, Caban. 



CALIFOSNIA HOUSE-FINCH ; BED-HEADED LINNET ; BTJSION. 



.' Pijrrhiihi cniciitalii, I,i>si)N, Hi'V. Zoiil. ISail, 1(»1. C'lirpnddcii.i rhndncojpus, Oahanir, 

 Mils, lluiii. ISfil, lt>(j. — Sci.ATEH, r. Z. S. 1856, 304. Curpodtcus fnmtnUit, lios. 

 & Siiii.Kc. .Moil. (U'.s I.c)x. ISfjO, tab. .xvi, 1'. 1. —In. Coiisp. 18.50, 533. — Baikd, Rinls 

 N. Am. 1858, 415 (in ]mrt). — (1cioim;ii, Oni. C'lil. I, ISO. Ifnuxe Fhich, OuaysoN, 

 Hi'.spt'iiiiii, 11, 185!), 7, i>Uitt'. ViifjioilHeHs/aviUiaris, Hekiiman.v, X, 50 (iicst). 



Sp. (.'mar. ((J 12.97:5, Ciipo St. Lui'iis.) Hi'iid, lu'ck, jiif,niluni, Itivast, upper p.irt of 

 alultmii'ii 1111(1 siili's, ami niiiip, luig-lit (•iiiiiiiuc-scailct, (liillcst on the rciitro of the riown 

 ami aiiiiculiirs ; iv.st of the upper jiarl-s bimviiisli-frra^', ifloswed with reil excein, on tlio 

 wing.'*, whieh have the feathers with distinctly lijrhli'r edfre.s Anal rcfrion, flnnks, and 

 cris.suin white, the featlier.s with sliaft-stieaks of brown. Wing, 3.00; tail, 2.U0; uuliuuii, 

 .45; tarsu.'<, .02; luiddlc toe, ..")(t. 



Female and Jiu\ .similar to var. /roiiliiU.i. hut colors darker. 



IIaii. Coast region of I'acilio Province, and peiiinsulii of Lower California. 



The male descrilied above represents about the average ]ilumage of this 

 form ; an extreme example is No. 20,04(1, Cape St. Lucas, wliich is almost 

 entirely of a wine-red color, this covering the whole lower parts, excejjt the 

 anal region, and obliterating tlie streaks ; tlie wings even are tinged Avith 

 red. Still, on tlie head tlie red fa wine-jmrple tint) is brightest within those 

 limits to which it is confined in the normal plumage. 



Habits. This variety of the House Finch is a very common bird through- 

 out the Pacific coast, from Oregon to Mexico. ]\Ir. Pidgway states that he 

 found this sjiecies the most common and familiar of all the birds of the Sac- 

 ramento Valley. It is a very connnon cage-bird, being highly prized for its 

 song, which in powjr is hardly inferior to that of the Canary, while it far 



