34 Cassin's purple finch. 



DESCRIPTION : "Male: Body, crimson ; palest on the rump and breast, darkest across the middle of back and 

 wing-coverts, where the feathers have dusky centers. The red extends below continuously to the lower 

 part of the breast, and in spots to the tibijE. The belly and under tail-coverts, white, streaked faintly 

 with brown, except in the very middle. Edges of wings and tail-feathers, brownish-red; lesser coverts 

 like the back. Two reddish bands across the wings (over the ends of the middle and greater coverts). 

 Lores, dull grayish. Female: Olivaceus-brown above; brighter on the rump. Beneath, white; all the 

 feathers everywhere streaked with brown, except on the middle of the belly and under coverts. 

 A superciliary light stripe. 



"Length, 6.25 inches; wing, 3.34; tail, 2.50; bill above, .46 inches." (Ridgway.) 



The California Purple Finch, Carpodacus purpureas californicus Baird, differs 

 little from the eastern race. All its colors are darker. Its home extends from British 

 Columbia to southern California, breeding in the mountains. 



CASSIN'S PURPLE FINCH. 



Carpodacus cassitii Baird. 



lN this species Prof. Rob. Ridgway gives the following account: 



"Although this Finch was observed to be essentially pinicoline, it was occasionally 

 found among deciduous trees when such occured in the immediate vicinity of coniferous 

 forests, this being notably the case during the breeding season. In the pine forests of 

 the Sierra Nevada, near Carson City, these birds were first observed on the 21st of 

 March, at which date large flocks were found among the trees. They continued to 

 increase in abundance until about the middle of April, when they gradually dispersed 

 through the forest, the greater number going higher up the mountains. At the time of 

 their arrival they were in full song, and continued so during the season, and it was 

 noticed that the young males, in the plumage of the females (possibly the latter also), 

 sang almost if not quite as vigorously and sweetly as those in the adult livery. In 

 certain localities of the eastern slope of the Ruby Mountains they were quite abundant 

 on several occasions, the flocks consisting chiefly of young-of-the-year, which, with their 

 parents, had apparently come from the higher coniferous woods near the summits of 

 the range, since no nests were found among the cedar and piiion groves of the lower 

 slopes. In the pine belt of the Wahsatch and the Uintah Mountains they were abundant 

 from May to August, during the whole of which time they were nesting. Most of the 

 nests found were among the aspens and narrow-leaved cotton-woods^ of the higher 

 portions of the ravines, where these trees replaced the conifers. 



"The song of this species is clear and sweet and is even superior to that of the 

 Eastern Purple Finch, which, however, it greatly resembles. Many passages are loud 

 and clear, and so much like the notes of certain Vireos, that we were several times led 

 by them in search of a new Greenlet. Other portions of its song, which was greatly 

 varied, were sweet soft warblings, and tender, whistling calls." 



1 Populus ttemuloides aud P. angustifolia. 



