The Dawson Lenco 



of the human stranger, the sitting female does not allow her mate to feed 

 her upon the nest, but goes to meet him in another tree, according to 

 approved precautions. Like the Cassin Purple Finch, she relieves the 

 tedium of incubation by an occasional foraging expedition on her own 

 account; and it is thus, we fear, that her business is betrayed to that 

 inquisitive exponent of science who has laid so many of the broad founda- 

 tions of our knowledge of birds. I refer, of course, to the under-rated 

 and over-despised oologist. 



No. 26 



Sierra Nevada Rosy Finch 



A. 0. U. No. 524, part. Leucosticte tephrocotis dawsoni Grinnell. 



Synonyms. — California Leucosticte. Dawson's Rosy Finch. 



Description. — Adult male in breeding plumage: General color rich brown, 

 varied by rosy; top of head black, bordered irregularly by hoary ash, the ash including 

 lores and superciliaries and broadening on hind-neck; lesser and middle wing-coverts 

 (in richest examples, all exposed edges of folded wing), rump, and upper tail-coverts, 

 flanks, and posterior under-plumage, with touches on axillars and wing-linings, rosy 

 red (light jasper red or jasper pink, rarely jasper red), the red appearing as broad 

 edges of feathers otherwise brown or white, and variously intermingled, especially on 

 rump; remaining plumage rich brown (Prout's brown), blackening on throat, varied 

 above by dark centers and paler edging, lightening posteriorly; wings and tail brownish 

 dusky, or hoary dusky. Bill black; feet and legs brownish black. Adult female in 

 breeding plumage: Like male but paler and duller with much less display of rosy. 

 Bill blackish. Adults in autumn (fresh plumage): As in spring, but plumage "varied 

 by white" (leucosticte), and with increase of rosy; the feathers of breast skirted by 

 pinkish ashy in scaled effect; those of upperparts brownish-ashy-bordered; crown more 

 extensively white; the inner greater coverts and tertials broadly edged with brownish 

 buff; the rump and posterior underparts more broadly tipped with jasper pink. Bill 

 yellow, darkening toward tip. Immature birds: Similar to adults in spring, but much 

 paler; in general, buffy ashy brown; feathers of back with darker centers; wings with 

 much buffy brown edging; rosy element much reduced, sometimes appearing only 

 upon edges of flight-feathers. Length about 165 (6.50). Av. of adult males (Grin- 

 nell): wing 104.6 (4.12); tail 70.4 (2.77); bill II. I (.43); depth at base 7 (.27). Of fe- 

 males: wing 99.8 (3.92); tail 65.8 (2.59); bill 11 (.43) ; depth at base 7.1 (.28). 



Recognition Marks. — Sparrow size; rich brown and rosy coloration; frequents 

 high altitudes. Cheeks not gray, as distinguished from the northern form, L. t. littoralis. 



Remarks. — While the characters assigned for distinction between L. t. teph- 

 rocotis and L. t. dawsoni are comparatively slight, they are supported by a wide dis- 

 continuity of range between the two forms. Theoretically, a gap of 650 miles in the 

 established breeding ranges of two related forms, not identical, should entitle each 

 to specific rank. It is for this reason, chiefly, that we attach weight to Dr. Grinnell's 

 original description, as follows: "As compared with its nearest relative, Leucosticte 



156 



