FRIXGILLID.E — TUIi FINCHES. 475 



With ([uite a siimll series of sjieciiuens, u jiert'ect tninsitinii can be shown 

 from the typical C. jisdltrlo, as abuvu deserili'd, tn tlie C ivlntnbianus, the 

 opposite extreme (see tahle, jiage 471). Tiie I'urmer is tlie must northern, 

 the hitter tlie most southern I'orm ; ctrizomr and mc.iicdnii, intermediate 

 in haliitat, are also as ,strikinj,dy so in ]ilumaj,'e. The dill'erence is in liie 

 quantitji of the black, this color i»redominating over the olive of the back 

 and the white of winj,'s and tail, in projwrtion as we go southward. There 

 cannot, upon the whole, be any doubt that they are all specifically the same. 

 The females can .scarcely be distinguished. 



Haiuts. The Arkansas Finch was lirst discovered in Long's expedition to 

 the Uocky ^lountains, and described by Say in 1823. It has since been met 

 with in New Mexico and in various jjarts of California. Dr. Cooper did not 

 find this species in the Colorado Valley, although Dr. Kennerly met with 

 it along Williams Fork, in New Mexico. Dr. Woodhouse did not see it in 

 his route to the Zuni I'iver, either in New Mexico or the Indian Territory. 



Dr. Kennerly met with these birds in the monlii of Feltruary. He found 

 them very abundant all along the banks of the Iiill Williams Fork. They 

 were feeding on the young I)uds of the cottonwood trees. A that season 

 they were in small Hocks, and the only note he heard from them was a short 

 chirp, as they hojijied from twig to twig, or flew from one tree to another. 



Dr. Ileermann states that he found these Finches abundant in the northern 

 mining regions of California, freciu'.-nting and feeding in the same localities 

 with the C. latvrcncii, and often associated with the Pine Finch. He adds 

 that, wliile thus associated, he shot a large number of both si)ecies. They 

 seemed to be emi)loyed, at the time, in ])icking out the tine gravel mixed in 

 the nnul used as mortar for a chimney, flying away at each discharge of the 

 gun, but returning, in a few minutes, to the same jilace. 



Mr. Audubon regarded this species as accidental in Louisiana, having 

 procured individuals a few miles from IJayou Sara. 



The Arkan,sas Goldfinch was found by Mr. IJidgway among the Walisatch 

 Mountains, his attention being at once drawn to it by its curious not<!s. He 

 first met with it in " (!ity-Creek Canon," near Salt Lake City, where indi- 

 viduals of it were fre([uently found mixed in with flocks of C. j>ini(s. The 

 note of this bird is remarkable for its power and very sad tone. The ordi- 

 nary note is a plaintive, mellow, whistling call, imjiossible to describe, and 

 .so inflected as to produce a very mournful efl'ect. When the bird take.s to 

 flight, it is changed to a simple cheer, similar to the anxious notes of the male 

 Agelaiiis plweniccvs, uttered when its nest is disturbed. This species was 

 quite rare, not being so common as either C. pinus or C. tristis. Its nest 

 was found in Parley's Park, Wahsatch Mountains, June 22, in the top of a 

 willow-bush near a stream. 



At San Diego, and along the whole coast border of California, Dr. Cooper 

 thinks that this Finch is rather rare. In the interior valleys they seem to 

 be quite common. They also breed in small numbers in the Coast Kange, 



