222 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. [rol.Yl. 



Cooper, is " Ke-dik," whicli, in the Mojave language, means " Come bere," 

 " They also sing in a loud, clear tone, and a style much like that of the 

 robin, but with the faculty of making the sound appear very far dis- 

 tant, which is a protection to birds of such bright plumage." 



FEINGILLID^. 



Carpodacus cassini Baird.— Cassin's Purple Finch. 



Found ii;i the vicinity of Carson City, and on the East Humboldt 

 Mountains, by Mr. Kidgway. 



Carpodacus frontalis (Say) Gray. — House Finch. 



Found rather common, and generally distributed over the northern 

 half of the region under consideration. Frequents the settlements, 

 where it is reported as rather injurious to some forms of vegetation. 

 The species was observed on the southern slope of Spring Mountain, 

 near the ''Old Spanish Trail," and has also been noted on the Colorado, 

 by Dr. Cooper. 



Loxia curvirostra americana (Wils.) Coues. — American Crossbill. 



Found on the East Humboldt Mountains by Mr. Eidgway, who states 

 that the species may breed on the higher portions of the loftier ranges 

 in the interior. Their chief food is obtained from the seed-cones of the 

 pines, although they are reported as destroying the buds of trees, and 

 even tearing open apples merely to get at the seed. I have noticed 

 these birds in confinement and watched their manner of picking up 

 seeds (rape, hemp, and canary), which could only be successfully done 

 when several layers deep, on account of the apparently deformed bill. 

 Although not strictly a songster when in a wild state, the males learn to 

 sing very readily, sometimes closely imitating Canaries and other birds 

 of a similar class, though the voice still retains some of its harshness, 

 which can be easily noticed. The practice of snaring and trapping 

 these birds for the market has been rather successfully carried on by a 

 German bird-catcher in Reading, Pa., for the past six or eight years, 

 where the observations on the captive specimens were made. 



Loxia leucoptera Gm. — White-winged Crossbill. 



A male of what was probably this species was noticed by Mr. Eidg- 

 way on the eastern slope of the Euby Mountains. He thinks it prob- 

 able that the species breeds sparingly on the loftier ranges. Mr. Eidg- 

 way further states that " when first seen, this individual called instantly 

 to mind the adult male of Pyranga erythromelwna, of Mexico and Cen- 

 tral America, so rich and uniform was the bright carmine-red of the 

 plumage, while the pure white wing-bands contrasted conspicuously 

 with the deep black of the wings and tail. It is scarcely possible, how- 

 ever, that it could have been this southern Tanager, which has not yet 

 been taken near our southern border. It should be considered, how- 



