The Birds of El Paso County, Colorado S49 



Two broods are, sometimes at least, raised in a season, 

 and possibly three. September 3, 1903, young House Finches 

 were noticed which seemed to have just left the nest. Lloyd 

 Shaw found a nest May 26, 1912, containing 4 eggs, and on 

 the 28th there were 3 young ; presumably these eggs were laid 

 from the 12th to the 16th of May. June 16, 1912, a young 

 bird just from the nest was seen in Monument Valley Park. 

 Two broods were hatched in one nest in 1913'; the first hatched 

 June 2 or 3, the second flew July 25. 



The food of the House Finch consists largely of seeds of 

 various sorts. They sometimes eat the seeds of that pest the 

 dandelion, in fact Dr. W. H. Bergtold says the young are 

 largely fed on those seeds. In the fall they have been seen 

 eating the seeds of Clematis paniculata which was growing 

 o\ er a porch. 



"A comparison of House Finches collected in El Paso 

 County with specimens from California, Arizona and New 

 Mexico, shows the local bird to be consistently darker with 

 broader streaks beneath, olivaceous brown rather than hair 

 brown. White of underparts purer or ashy, lacking the buffy 

 finge; the red more crimson. Bill and feet more robust and 

 darker. Culmen shorter (10 mm.), little more than depth of 

 bill at base. Average length of 11 males 153 mm. ; average of 

 17 males. Wing, 78.3 mm.; Tail, 61.3 mm. 



I conclude that the House Finches of Colorado east of the 

 mountains and probably of southeastern Wyoming are sub- 

 specifically distinct from those of California, Arizona and New 

 Mexico at least as far east as the Rio Grande River. If 

 further investigation proves this conclusion correct the more 

 western and southern form becomes Carpodacus mexicanus 

 obscnnis McCall. Local birds are true frontalis since Say's 

 type locality is the Arkansas Valley. 



Our House Finches are in part migratory and in part nop- 

 migratory. There are the same smoke-soiled birds with us 



