The Birds of El Paso County, Colorado 547 



appeared to consist of small black seeds mingled with the insect 

 larvffi. The testicles in all were of the size of large beans and 

 indicated that the birds were either breeding or on the point 

 o) doing so. 



Pinicola enuclcator montana. Rocky Mountain Pine Gros- 

 beak. 



Resident in the mountains. More common in winter. 



It is difficult for us to say with the information at hand 

 what is the abundance of the Pine Grosbeak in this region, 

 but we do not consider that it is at all common even in the 

 localities where it dwells. It is a mountain bird, and seldom, 

 with us, descends to the lower altitudes, but remains above 

 9,000 feet most, if not all of the year, and does not seem to be 

 given to those wanderings which bring its eastern consins 

 down from the north into the eastern states, often penetrating 

 a considerable distance south. It was seen and taken by War- 

 ren above Seven Lakes, 11,000 feet, in January, and also seen 

 by him on top of Cheyenne Mountain, November 21, 1905. In 

 the case of those seen at Seven Lakes the care-taker at the 

 Strickler Tunnel said they had been about there all winter. 

 They were in the willows when seen. Aiken has had several 

 specimens from near timberline on Pike's Peak. 



Carpodacus cassini. Cassin's Purple Finch. 

 Resident. 



Cassin's Finch is a resident of the mountains, where it 

 breeds, coming down to the foothills and edge of the plains in 

 fall and winter, but rather irregularly, not being observed at 

 all some seasons. At this season it is found in flocks, which 

 at first sight seem to be composed largely of fertiales, but many 

 of the supposed females are really males in their first winter 

 plumage, which is practically identical with that of the female. 

 They frequent the trees and bushes along the streams, in the 



