HOUSE FINCH (Carpodacus mexicanus 
frontalis) 
Length, about 6 inches. Grayish brown 
above, many feathers tinged with red. Below 
dull white, crown, rump, and throat crimson. 
Range: Resident in Oregon, Idaho, and 
southeastern Wyoming south to Lower Cali- 
fornia and Mexico. 
The pretty little house finch of the far west 
is among the most domestic of American birds, 
and exhibits a predilection for the neighbor- 
hood of houses almost as strong as that of the 
English sparrow. It carols its sprightly lay 
from the tops of buildings in villages and even 
cities, and from the shrubbery of lawn and 
park. So confiding has the bird become that it 
places its nest in any crack or cranny of house 
or outbuilding that is large enough for its 
housekeeping operations, When such conve- 
nient and safe retreats are not to be had it 
builds a bulky nest in a tree or bush. 
It is fond of fruit, including pears, cherries, 
and small fruit, which its strong conical bill 
enables it to break open with ease. Locally, 
therefore, it is a good deal of a pest and does 
much damage to fruit crops, especially where 
it is numerous. Much, however, can be said 
in mitigation of its offenses. The seeds of 
plants, a large proportion of those of noxious 
weeds, constitute seven-eighths of its food for 
the year. Plant lice, which are notoriously 
harmful to many trees and plants, also are a 
favorite diet. So, too, are caterpillars and 
beetles; therefore, the balance is decidedly in 
the bird’s favor. 
This attractive songster was carried to the 
Hawaiian Islands years ago and now is nu- 
merous in Honolulu and also in the forest on 
the island of Hawati, where amid brighter and 
more tropical neighbors it seems curiously out 
of place, though it sings as often and as joy- 
ously as it ever did in its old haunts across the 
Pacific. 
ARKANSAS GOLDFINCH (Astragalinus 
psaltria and subspecies) 
Length, about 4% inches. Upper parts olive 
green, more or less mixed with black in the 
subspecies; under parts yellow. 
Range: Breeds from southern Oregon, Utah, 
and northern Colorado to southern Lower 
California and into Mexico. 
In the far west this goldfinch takes the place 
of the eastern goldfinch which in a general 
way it much resembles in habits. Like that 
bird it is rarely seen, save in the breeding sea- 
son, except in small parties, the members of 
which seem to be on terms of the utmost fa- 
miliarity and accord. The flight of this spe- 
cies, as of its kindred, is exceedingly charac- 
teristic. It disdains to cleave the air in straight 
lines, but progresses in a series of graceful, 
sinuous curves, which, however, take the little 
aéronaut rapidly from point to point. This 
flight is a sure mark of identification, The 
bird has a sweet warbling song and even its 
call notes are plaintive and pleasing. It 
abounds in orchards and gardens and is often 
to be seen by the roadside gleaning its food 
from the tall stems of thistle or sunflowers. 
36 
PURPLE FINCH (Carpodacus purpureus) 
Length, about 6 to 6% inches. Unlike any 
other eastern finch, the crimson head of the 
male sufficiently distinguishes it. 
Range: Breeds in southern Canada and 
southward to North Dakota, Minnesota, IIli- 
nois, Pennsylvania mountains, and northern 
New Jersey; winters from somewhat north of 
the southern boundary of its breeding range 
to the Gulf States. 
Considering that it is common and widely 
distributed, the purple finch is not so well 
known as it should be. For one thing it has a 
marked liking for the tops of trees, particu- 
larly elms, and when in a tree-top and more or 
less screened by foliage it requires the aid of 
a good glass to make its identity.sure. Its 
warbling song is sweet and melodious, but is 
all too brief for perfect enjoyment, though in 
spring the bird is prodigal enough of its carols, 
and not infrequently a dozen males may be 
heard singing at once in the same or in con- 
tiguous. trees. It frequently nests around 
houses and for a site is very partial to the 
Virginia juniper. 
The purple finch lives almost entirely on the 
seeds of various plants, including those of 
false buckwheat and ragweed, with some wild 
berries. It is accused, not without reason, of 
being a confirmed budder of fruit and other 
trees, but the damage it inflicts on eastern or- 
chards appears to be very slight, if indeed the 
modest budding it does is an injury at all. 
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH (Astragalinus 
tristis and subspecies) 
Length, about 5 inches. Easily distinguished 
by its rich yellow plumage and black crown 
and tail. 
Range: Breeds from southern Canada south 
to southern California, southern Colorado, 
Arkansas, and northern Georgia. 
The thistle bird is one of our best-known 
finches, being not only common but very so- 
ciable. It usually goes in small flocks, or fam- 
ily parties, and sometimes the tall thistles on 
which it likes to feed bend with the united 
weight of several of the gay plumaged little 
goldfinches. It is a law unto itself as regards 
its nesting period, and begins to think seriously 
about housekeeping when other birds are feed- 
ing full-grown youngsters or are debating the 
propriety of a second brood. The goldfinch 
has a pretty and plaintive call note, and its full 
song is well worth listening to. It is much 
like that of the canary, so much alike, in fact, 
that the bird is often called the wild canary. 
Throughout the year the goldfinch is a seed 
eater, especially of weed seeds, and it eats also 
many insects, including canker worms, plant 
lice, and beetles. Our goldfinch sometimes an- 
noys the farmer by attacking the lettuce seeds 
which have been left to mature for next sea- 
son’s planting, but the damage in this way is 
slight, and Prof. Beal has been told that even 
on the large seed farms of California it is 
never serious enough to call for protective 
measures. 
