260 Mearns, T-cVO Neiv Birds from Santa Barbara Ids. 



TAn 



LJuI 



was certainly an abundant supply. The nests are built either in 

 cactus, or in niches in the roofs and walls of the caverns. In 

 the latter places the nests vary much in bulk, being fitted to the 

 cavities in which they are built. A large cavity is nearly filled 

 with a mass of fine grasses, weed stems and wool, with only a 

 narrow aperture left at the top. Nests in cactus are built in the 

 center of a clump of spiny stems, from one to three feet above the 

 ground. These can seldom be reached except by breaking down 

 the cactus. They are more compact than those in the rocks, but 

 made of the same materials. Two to five eggs form a full set. 

 They are similar to those of the mainland bird except in size, 

 being decidedly larger. A fresh set taken March 30, measure, 

 .84 X .60 [inch], .80 X .63, .82 X .62, .80 X .63. A partially 

 incubated set of five taken March 31, measure, .80 x .56, 

 .80 X .59, .82 X .57, .85 X .56, .86 X .58. The nesting season 

 begins early, as nearly-fledged young were noted on March 

 28. On June 5, incubated eggs were taken. The House 

 Finches on San Clemente Island average larger and brighter 

 colored than those of the mainland. This case well illustrates 

 the tendency of the insular birds to acquire larger proportions "of 

 the bill or feet. In this genus, the extremes are reached further 

 south in C. mcgregorl and C. ampins. The following are the average 

 measurements of the bills of a series each of the San Clemente 

 and mainland House Finches : 



San Clemente Is . 

 Pasadena 



Gonys. 



.29 



Culmeu. 



■43 

 .40 



Depth of bill 

 at base. 



■iZ 



Width of upper 

 mandible. 



.28 



" Forty-seven specimens of the House Finch were obtained on 

 this island. 



On Santa Barbara Island, Mr. Grinnell found it "common on 

 the eastern part of the island among the patches of choUa cactus, 

 the fruit of which the linnets were eating. Juveniles were plenti- 

 ful. A nest was found on the side of a ravine. May 17 ; it was 



