CAEPODACUS FRONTALIS, CRIMSON-FEONTED FINCH. 107 



Later Expeditions. — 62326-26, Yellowstone and Snake Eivers. 



Not obtained by Lieutenant Warren's Expedition. 



Although it might be argued with some reason that this is merely a variety of pur- 

 purens, I am at present inclined to treat it as a distinct species, for I have seen no 

 specimens, of many examined, that were not instantly recognizable by the peculiarities 

 given in the above-quoted works. Dr. Haydeu's specimens are interesting as repre- 

 senting the northeasternmost recorded locality. 



I have only myself observed this species in Arizona, about Fort 

 Whipple, where it was common, and resident. It is found westward to 

 the Sierra IJevada, but probably not beyond. Dr. Cooper found it in 

 large numbers about Lake Tahoe, and noticed a peculiar call-note. So 

 little has been placed on record of its habits, that the following para- 

 graph from Mr. Trippe, referring to his observations at Idaho Springs, 

 Colorado, is the more acceptable : 



"Abundant; breeds. A few remain all winter in sheltered localities 

 in Bergen's Park, but the greater number seek some warmer climate, 

 returning as soon as the severest portion of the season has passed by. 

 In March and April they frequent the dense thickets of willows that 

 line the banks of nearly all the streams in places, and have at that time 

 a low, sweet warbling soug, which becomes louder in May, and then 

 fully equals that of the Purple Finch. They breed as high as 10,000 

 feet, but are not uniformlj' distributed, as I never saw them abundant 

 outside of Bergen's Park. During summer and fall they frequent the 

 pine trees in which they nest; and during this season the female sings 

 nearly as sweetly as the male. I strongly suspect that the (J. purjnireus 

 mentioned by Allen as abundant in the South Park, was this species, 

 which he does not give at all. The latter is common, while the former 

 is at least so rare that I never saw it in a year's careful observation." 



The only sets of eggs I have seen are not distinguishable fromi some 

 specimens of (7. purpureus, though on an average they are probably 

 rather larger. As in the case of that species, very pale sets occur, cor- 

 responding to the whitish eggs of Blue-birds. The nidification is wholly 

 similar to that of G. purpureus. The eggs, supposed to be of this 

 species, lately described by Dr. Brewer, are those of 0. frontalis. They 

 were from the South Arizona collection of Lieutenant C. Bendire, who 

 writes me that they were wrongly identified. C. cassini probably does 

 not breed in that locality. {Gf. Brew., Pr. Bost. Soc. xvi, 1873, lO'J.) 



CAEPODACUS FEOI^TALIS, (Say) Gray. 



Crimson-fronted Finch; House Finch; Bufion. 



a. frontalis. 



Fringilla frontalis, Say, Long's Exped. R. Mts. ii, 1824, 40. 



Fringilla (Pyrrhula) frontalis, Gamb., Pr. Phila. Acad, i, 1843, 262. 



Pyrrliula frontalis, Bp., Am. Oru. i, 1825, 49, pi. 6, figs. 1,,2. 



Erythrospim frontalis, Bp., P. Z. S. 1837, 112; List, 1838, 35.— Gamb., .1. P. Ac. 1847, 53. 



Carpodacus frontalis, Gray, Genera of Birds. — Bp., Cousp. i, 1850, 533. — McC^ll, Pr. 

 Phila. Acad. 1851, 219.— Newe., P. R. E. Eep. vi, 1857, 88.— Bd., B. N. A. 1«5&, 

 415.— Kenn., P. R. R. Eep. x, 1859, pt. iv, 28.- Couios, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 

 80.— CouES, Ibis, 1866, 267.— Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 156.— Aikbn, Pr. Bost. Soc. 

 1873, 199 (Arkansas River, Col.).— CouKs, Key, 1672, 129. 



Carpodacus frontalis var. frontalis, Ridgw., Am. Jonru. v, 1873, 40. — B. B. & E., N. A. 

 B. i, 1874, 466, pi. 21, f. 3, 6. 



Carpodaeus familiaris, McCall, Pr. Phila. Acad, vii, 1852, 61.— Woodh., Sitgr. Eep. 1853, 

 88.— Cass., 111. 1854, 73, pi. 13.— Heerm., P. R. R. Eep. x, 1859, pt. vi, 50. 



Carpodaeus oiscurus, McCall, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1851, 220. 



Carpodaeus " californicns," Coces, Ibis, 1865, 164 {lapsii). 



Carpodaeus "cassini," Bbew., Pr. Bost. Soc. xvi, 1873, 109 (error in identification of eggs). 



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