362 NESTS AND E0Q8 OF 



of cat-tail down, and had formed only a slight hollow for the nest proper. Some were 

 found with eggs, and in others there were 'hirds in. last year's nests.' " Some writers 

 state that the eggs of the Goldfinch range from three to five in number. This is not 

 correct, at least in Ohio. The number to a set varies from three to six. In the month 

 of August and during the first two weeks of September, 1888, Mr. Rudolph, A. L. 

 Baker and myself collected twenty-nine nests with eggs of the Goldfinch. Out of this 

 number eleven contained six eggs, ten contained five, five were of four, and three 

 were of three eggs each. Sets of five and six are common. The color of the eggs 

 is plain, pale bluish or greenish-white, unspotted. Ten eggs measure .62x.48, .61x.49, 

 .61X.48, .62X.51, .63x.52, .65x.52, .67x.51, .67x.52, .66x.52, .67x.52. An average specimen 

 measures .65x.52. 



529o. WESTEBN GOIiDrillCH. Spinus tristis palUdus Mearns. Geog. 

 Dist. — ^Arizona. 



This appears to be a well-marked geographical race from Arizona; its general 

 color being described by Dr. Edgar A. Mearns as being decidedly paler than that of 

 8. tristis. Other peculiarities seem to be distinctive of this local race. Its general 

 habits, nesting and eggs are identical with those of S. tristis. 



530. ARKANSAS GOLDFINCH. Spinus psaltria (Say.) Geog. Dist— Western 

 United States from the Great Plains to the Pacific, north on the coast to Oregon, in 

 the interior north to Colorado and Utah, southward to Sonora. 



This species is also called the ArkansaW Green-backed and Rocky Mountain 

 Goldfinch. It is an abundant bird in the West, nesting like its Eastern cousin, the 

 American Goldfinch, in trees and bushes. In California it breeds from t^e latter 

 part of April to the middle of July; May and June being the most general breeding 

 months. Ten nests containing four eggs each, collected by Mr. R. B. Herron, at San 

 Gorgonia Pass, California, in May and June, are ia my cabinet. The eggs are of the 

 same color as those of S. tristis, pale greenish-blue, but are much smaller. The nests 

 are also smaller — some of the more elaborately built nests of tristis are almost 

 double the size of those of S. psaltria. Ten eggs measure .63x.46, .60x.45, .62x.41, 

 .62X.42, .59^.46, .63x.44, .63x.47, .63x.48, .64x.47, .63x.45; comparatively little variation 

 in size. Four eggs is the usual number laid, rarely five. 



530o. ABIZONA GOLDFINCH. Spinus psaltria arizoncB (Coues.) Geog. 

 Dist. — Southwestern portion of the United States, North to Arizona and Colorado. 

 Bast to Texas and Mexico. 



The general habits, nesting and eggs of this subspecies are exactly the same as 

 those of the Arkansas Goldfinch. 



5306. MEXICAN GOLDFINCH. Spinus psaltria mexicanus (Swains.) Geog. 

 Dist. — Valley of the Lower Rio Grande in Texas, southward through Mexico. 



The general habits, nests and eggs of this subsjpecies are identical with those 

 of the Arkansas or the Arizona Goldfinch. 



