SPARROWS— FINCHES— TOWHEE- WOODPECKERS— TITMOUSE. 



135 



flushed, and then call each other together by a whistle, very much 

 like that of a man calling his dog. According to Newberry, the 

 hen has a cluck, much like that of the common hen, when calling 

 together her young brood about the first of August." 



PLATE XC. 



Golden-crowned Sparrow, Yellow-crowned Finch, or Yellow-crowned 

 Sparrow. (Zonotrichia coronata.) 



Fig. i. 



This species, which is closely allied to the White-crowned Spar- 

 row (Zonotrickia leucophrys) is to be met with on the Pacific 

 coast. Its note is only an occasional chirp. 



According to Heerman, "the nest was composed of coarse 

 stalks of weeds, and lined internally with fine roots. The eggs, 

 four in number, are ashy-white, marked with lines of brown um- 

 ber, sometimes appearing black from the depth of their shade, and 

 covered also with a few neutral tint spots." 



Lazuli Finch. (Cyanospiza azncena.) 

 Fig. 2. 



This abundant, as well as one of the handsomest, species found 

 on the Pacific coast, was added to our North American ornithology 

 by Thomas Say, who procured it during the course of Long's ex- 

 pedition. It is often kept in cages, and sold by dealers as the 

 Eastern Indigo Bird ; their mistake is no doubt occasioned by the 

 similarity of habits and song. Then again, by some, it is taken 

 as a faded variety of that bird. There is very little, if any, in- 

 digo in its colors. Its name, Lazuli — after the celebrated lazuli- 

 blue stone of Italy — being so little understood, is also a cause of 

 the misapplication. Mr. Townsend says, "the Chinook Indians 

 name this species Tilkonapaooks, and that it is rather a common 

 bird on the Columbia, but is always shy and retiring in its habits, 

 the female being very rarely seen. It possesses lively and pleas- 

 ing powers of song, which it pours forth from the top branches of 

 moderate-sized trees. Its nest, which is usually placed in the 

 willows along the margins of the streams, is composed of small 

 sticks, fine grasses, and cow or buffalo hair." 



Mr. Cooper says: "During the summer there is scarcely a 

 thicket or grove in the more open portions of the state (California) 

 uninhabited by one or more pairs of this beautiful species. The 

 male is not very timid, and frequently sings his lively notes from 

 the top of some bush or tree, continuing musical throughout sum- 

 mer, and in all weathers." 



The eggs are usually five in number, and are white, tinged a 

 little with blue. 



Canon Towhee. Brown Towhee. {Pipilo fuscus.) 



Fig. 3- 



This species is an inhabitant of New Mexico, Arizona, and 

 southward, where it is met in company with Abert's Towhee. The 

 habits and characteristics of these species are much alike. 



Gray-crowned Purple Finch. Gray-necked or Gray-eared Finch. (Leu- 

 costiote tephrocotis var. grisscinucha^) 



Fig. 4- 



Gray-crowned Finch. (Lcucostiote tephrocotis var. australis.) 

 Fig. 5- 



These varieties of the Gray-crowned Finch are figured to give 

 the reader and illustration of the difference that exists in their plum- 

 age. Their habits and characteristics are about the same as those 

 of the Gray-crowned Finch {Leucostiote tephrocotis) , figured on 

 plate 71, fig. 7. 



The species, fig. 4, is of rare occurrence, and that of fig. 5 is 

 in doubt — some of our best ornithologists do not consider it a va- 

 riety. It is said to be the largest, and to have the largest bill. 



California Woodpecker. (Melanerpes formicivorus.) 

 Fig. 6. 



This handsome and well known Pacific species is about the 

 same in size as our common Red-headed Woodpecker. 



Cooper, in his Ornithology of California, says : 



"This beautiful bird is one of the commonest in all the lower 

 regions of California, frequenting chiefly the oaks, and extending 

 up as far as they grow on the mountains. Its brilliant plumage, 

 lively and familiar habits, and loud notes make it a very conspic- 

 uous inhabitant of the woods, and it will, if unmolested, become 

 quite familiar around dwellings. Their usual resorts are among 

 the topmost and decayed branches, where the}'' seek their insect 

 food ; but they also feed in great part on insects caught among the 

 leaves, and on the bark, as well as on fruits, being less industrious 

 in hammering for a subsistence than the Pici. They burrrow out 

 the cavity for a nest in a dead branch, making it, according to 

 Herrman, from six inches to two feet deep, and laying four or five 

 pure white eggs, on the dust and chips at the bottom, like nearly 

 all Woodpeckers. 



" They are fond of playing together around the branches, utter- 

 ing their rattling calls, and often darting off to take a short sail in 

 the air, returning to the same spot. They have a habit, peculiai 

 to them, of drilling small holes in the bark of trees, and fitting 

 acorns tightly into them, each one being carefully adapted, and 

 driven tight. The bark is often so full of these holes as to leave 

 scarcely room to crowd in another without destroying the bark en- 

 tirely. These are generally considered as laid up for a winter 

 supply of food; but while, in this climate, no such provision is 

 necessary, it is also very improbable that birds of this family would 

 feed on hard nuts, or seeds of any kind. The more probable ex- 

 planation is that they are preserved for the sake of the grubs they 

 contain so frequently, which, being very small when the acorn 

 falls, grow until they eat the whole interior, when they are a wel- 

 come delicacy for the bird. From this strange habit, the bird has 

 received the name of ' Carpintero ,' and this is also adopted by 

 many Americans." 



Yellow-bellied or Yellow-faced Woodpecker. (Centurus aurifrons.) 



Fig. 7. 



This species is usually met with in the Rio Grande region of the 

 United States, thence south into Mexico. It is about the size of 

 our common Downy Woodpecker (Pt'cus ppubescens.) 



Least Titmouse. (Psaltriparus minimus.) 

 Fig. 8. 

 This little Titmouse is usually observed in the evergreen oaks, 



