384 
PASSERIFORMES 
Nesting. On the ground, or in low bushes. Bulky nest of coarse grass and leaves, 
lined with finer grasses and hairs. 
Distribution. Eastern North America. In western Canada, noted only occasionally 
from southern Manitoba and in single occurrences for southern Saskatchewan and Okan- 
agan Valley, British Columbia. A frequenter of open fields or shrubby wastes, and is very 
rare in Canada. ( See remarks under Carolina Wren, page 320.) 
514. Evening Grosbeak, lb gros-bec errant. Hesperiphona vespertina. L, 8. 
Plate LXXVIII A. One of the largest of the sparrows, with a very large, powerful, typical 
grosbeak bill (like Figures 466 and 469). It is coloured in broad masses of strong Iemon- 
vellow, with black wings, tail, and crown; secondaries and tertiaries largely white; a 
bright yellow bar on forehead. The female is similar, but much duller and with an ashy 
wash over all. 
Distinctions. Size; large yellowish or pale greenish bill; large amount of yellow and 
contrastive black and white wings. The male is unmistakable. The female, with her 
light-coloured bill, lemon-yellow on body, and large patch of white on black wings, is 
quite different from any other grosbeak {See Plates LNXIX A, LXXVI B, and LXXYII A). 
Field Marks. Males are unmistakable. Large size, short tail, yellow coloration, 
pale-coloured bill, and large white patch in black wings. As it is usually a winter visitor 
within settled sections, females are most often to be compared with female Pine Grosbeaks 
(Plate LXXIX A), another winter migrant, but they are not so dull or evenly coloured 
and have pale beaks and contrastive black and white wings. The females of the Rose- 
breasted and Black-headed Grosbeaks are both sharply streaked (Plates LXXVI B and 
LXXVII A). 
Nesting. In trees; nest of small twigs, lined with bark, hair, and rootlets. Nestings 
have been located in the western mountain districts and in the heavy spruce forest in the 
region north of Lake Superior, nests have usualty been in the tops of tall trees and difficult 
to locate. 
Distribution. Central and western North America. Breeding in the northern conifer- 
ous forest from western Ontario westward, and along the mountains to New Mexico. 
Migrates south and east in winter. 
SUBSPECIES. The species is divided into two races in the Check-list; the Eastern 
Evening Grosbeak (le Gros-bec errant de PEst) Hesperiphona vespcrtma vespertina occupies 
the mid-section of the continent. The Western Evening Grosbeak (le Gros-bec errant de 
l’Ouest) Hesperiphona vespertina brooksi inhabits the mountains of the west. It is dis- 
tinguished from the eastern one by the bill averaging slightly slenderer and with more 
and darker olive in the yellow of the male. The female has a darker crown in slight con- 
trast with the back. This last detail seems the most constant distinction. This is only a 
winter visitor to most of the prairie country, and an irregular wanderer in the east. It 
is very irregular in its summer and breeding range, being present one year and absent the 
next. In summer it is very retiring and unobtrusive, frequenting the tallest trees where 
it is very difficult to observe. It is only recently that we have succeeded in getting any 
authentic data north of Lake Superior on the breeding range of the eastern race, though 
that of the western one has long been known. 
Economic Status. The Evening Grosbeak, coming only in winter, can 
do very little harm. Its favourite food is the seed of the Manitoba maple 
left hanging on the trees. The fact that the Manitoba maple has in recent 
years been planted extensively in many parts of Canada may affect the 
migration habits of this bird. Almost any dried winter fruit is taken and 
it delights to remove the seeds from old rotten apples left hanging through 
the winter. The charge that it damages trees by picking off the buds may 
contain an element of truth, but the habit cannot be seriously considered 
as a source of appreciable damage. 
517, Common Purple Finch, le pinson pourpk6 commun. Carpodacus purpureus. 
L, 6-22. Plate LXXVIII B. About the size of the English Sparrow. Adult male: head, 
breast back, and rump washed with dull purplish rose, more or less variegated or striped 
with brown on back. Wings and tail brown, slightly edged with rose. Below, white. 
Females and juveniles: dull brownish olive, more or iess broken into stripes above, and 
heavily striped with olive on white below. 
