North American Birds Eggs. 



245 



5 I 5. Pine Grosbeak. Piiiicola enucleutor Icucura. 



Range. — Eastern North America, Ijreeding from northern New England north- 

 ward, and wintering to southern New England and (Jhio and casually farther. 



With the exception of in northern Maine and the moun- 

 tains in Colorado, where a few pairs probably breetl every 

 year, these handsome rose-colored birds appear in the 

 United States only during the winter. They build in con- 

 ifers making their nests of small twigs and rootlets, lined 

 with fine grasses and lichens. During the latter part of 

 May or June they lay three or four eggs, which have a 

 ground color of light greenish blue, spotted and splashed [(ireenish blue 1 



with dark brown, and with fainter markings of lilac. Size 



1.00 X .70. Pine Grosbeaks have been separated into the following sub-species, 

 the chief distinctions between them being in their ranges. The nesting habits 

 and eggs of all are alike. 



5 15a. Rocky Mountain Pine Grosbeak. P. e. monfana. 

 Range. — Rocky Mountain region from New Mexico to Montana. 



5 I 5b. California Pine Grosbeak. P. e. raliforiucd. 

 Range. — Higher parts of the Sierra Nevadas in California. 



5 15c. Alaskan Pine Grosbeak. P. e. alasrensis. 



Range.— Interior of Northwest America from Alaska south to British Col- 

 umbia. 



5 I 5d. Kadiak Pine Grosbeak. P. r. flommiila. 

 Range. — Kadiak Island and the southern coast of Alaska. 



[5 16], Cassin Bullfinch. Pyrrhula caHsini. 

 Range.— Northern Asia; accidental in Alaska. 



5 I 7. Purple Finch. Carpndacus purpurcus. 



Range.— North America east of the Plains, breeding from 

 the Middle States north to Labrador and Hudson Bay; winters 

 in the United States. 



These sweet songsters are quite abundant in New flngland 

 in the summer, but more so north of our borders. While they 

 breed sometimes in trees in orchards, I have nearly always 

 found their nests in evergreens, usually about three-fourths 

 of the way up. The nests are made of fine weeds and grasses 

 and lined with horse hair. The eggs, which are usually laid in June, are green- 

 ish blue, spotted with dark brownish; size .85 x .65. 



5 17a. California Purple Finch. Carpo(Tarus purpureufi caUforninm. 



Range. — Pacific coast, breeding from central California to British Columbia 

 and wintering throughout California. 



The nesting habits and eggs of this darker colored variety are just like those 

 of the last. 



5 I 8. Cassin Purple Finch. Carpodaciis cassini. 



Range. — North America west of the Rockies, breeding from 

 British Columbia south to New Mexico. 



This species is similar to the last but the back, wings and 

 tail are darker and the purplish color of the preceding species 

 is replaced by a more pinkish shade. The nesting habits and 

 eggs are the same as those of those of the eastern Purple 

 Finch; size of eggs .85 x .tiO. Data. — Willis, New Mexico, 

 June 23, 1901. Nest made of twigs and rootlets and lined with horse hair. Col- 

 lector, F. J. Birtwell. 







[Cireenish blue] . 



