52 MR. GAMBEL ON THE BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA. 



PASSERELLA, Swains. 



95. P. TowNSENDii, (And.) Gamb. Thrush-like Finch. 



Fringilla Townsendii, Aud. 



F. meruloides, Vigors' Zool. Beechy's Voyage. 

 This fine species is an abundant resident in Cahfornia. Its habits differ somewhat 

 from the other sparrows, and are more like those of a Thrush, to which it bears a 

 good deal of resemblance. It keeps in retired bushy places, or in underwood, 

 scarcely ever being seen except on the ground ; and is only discovered by the noise 

 it makes in scratching among the leaves. It is silent and unsuspicious, and I have 

 only heard it utter an occasional chip. Audubon's and Vigors' descriptions of this 

 species, were both published in London in the same year, but the preface of Audubon's 

 book, has several months priority. 



SPIZELLA, Bonap. 



96. S. PALLIDA, (Swains.) Bonap. Pale Sparrow. 



This small species was one of the few birds we constantly met with in the desert 

 region between New Mexico and California. 



CHRYSOMITRIS, Boie. 



97. C. PSALTRIA, (Say.) Bonap. Arkansaw Siskin. 



This hitherto rare species, and of which so little has been known, I found in 

 California exceedingly abundant and familiar. 



In the winter season they rove in large flocks, feeding on willow buds, seeds, &c. ; 

 to the twigs of the willow they hang in all. postures, sometimes head downwards like 

 Titmice, and keep up a continual twitter ; in the vineyards and fields, they are found 

 on the ground scratching after seeds or clinging to the stems of weeds in the same 

 manner as our C tristis. 



They commence pairing and building their nests, in the latter part of March or 

 beginning of April. The nest is made in the willow hedges of the vineyards, the 

 orchards or gardens, and is beautifully fastened to about three small twigs, between 

 which it is made, at from six to twelve, or even twenty feet from the ground. The 

 nest is formed of slender strips of vine bark, the cottony down of various plants, 

 mixed with a few slender stems, and lined with willow down and pappus. It is thick 

 and neatly made, and usually contains six white eggs. Some nests have no lining, 

 except the slender strips of vine bark and cottony down that the rest of the nest is 

 made of, and others have a great many small catkins of the willow, mixed in with 

 the outside layer. 



The song of the male, during the period of incubation, is a delightful, loud, 

 melodious warble, considerably varied and modulated, almost equalling that of the 

 canary. 



