582 NOTES ON SOME OF THE 
in summer in many parts of the state, and the number that 
breed here seems to be increasing. They usually select 
evergreens for their nests, and appear to more often build 
in the cultivated shrubbery of the towns than elsewhere. 
They are almost as unsuspicious as thé proverbially familiar 
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella socialis), they often placing their 
nests in the hedge-rows that border frequented walks. I 
learn from Mr. B. P. Mann that he has repeatedly found 
their nests in such situations, and Mr. R. B. Hildreth has 
observed the same fact at Springfield. "This familiar habit 
in the Purple Finch of California has obtained for it the 
name of House Finch, and it was supposed to differ greatly 
in this respect from the Purple Finch of the Atlantic states, 
before the breeding habits of the latter were so well known. 
It differs in this respect not apparently from the eastern bird, 
nor in any other way to any essential degree, specimens from 
California in the Museum of Comparative Zoólogy being 
quite indistinguishable from others from Massachusetts. 
Hence its distinctive name of frontalis becomes properly a 
synonym of purpureus. 
For the past two winters I have observed individuals of 
this species at frequent intervals in Cambridge, and Mr. 
Bennett has observed it at the same season about Mount 
Holyoke. By far the greater part, however, go farther 
south at this season. 
Nearly all observers in Southern New England that I have 
met remark that this bird has greatly inereased there during 
the last ten years; especially is it more numerous in the 
breeding season. 
Pine Finca. — CArysomitris pinus Bon. But a single in- 
stance of the breeding of this bird in Massachusetts has 
come to my knowledge—that mentioned in my Catalogue. 
The present year, however, they were quite common in Cam- 
bridge till the last of June, and on two or three occasions I 
observed them during the first half of July. I felt sure at 



‘one time that they would breed here, but if they, like the 

