312 
FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 
Remarks. — The male Cassin finch may be distinguished by its large size, 
bright squarish crown patch, dull rump, 
unstreaked under parts, and distinct 
streaks on under tail coverts. 
Distribution. — Breeds in Canadian 
zone from British Columbia to Mexico ; 
from the eastern slope of the Rocky 
Mountains to the Pacific; and migrates 
through Mexico to Mt. Orizaba. 
Nest .—Near tops of young firs and 
pines on a horizontal branch; rather thin 
and flat, composed largely of rootlets 
and grasses. Eggs : 2 to 4, finely spec¬ 
kled, chiefly around the larger end, with 
Fig. 397. Cassin Purple Finch. black and dark brown. 
The Cassin finch is the purple finch of the mountains, breeding 
from the lower edge of the firs to timberline. Its square crimson 
crown patch is a striking sign mark in the shade of the woods, and 
its sweet song gains richness from its forest setting. Even in winter 
the birds stay as high as they can. In southern California, Mr. 
Grinnell says they rarely come as low as the foothills, but go about 
in small flocks, feeding in the brush as long as it is not entirely 
covered with snow. 
Subgenus Burrica. 
Fig. 398. Male. 
519. Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis (Say). House Finch. 
Adult male. — Forehead, superciliary, and rump rose pink, orange red, 
or scarlet; rest of upper parts brownish gray, 
sometimes washed with reddish; back not dis¬ 
tinctly streaked ; throat and breast reddish ; belly 
whitish, sharply and closely streaked with brown; 
tail not decidedly shorter than wing, nearly even; 
wing feathers edged with pale grayish instead of reddish. Adult female: 
upper parts grayish brown, indistinctly streaked; 
under parts white, broadly streaked. Young: 
similar to female, but back more distinctly 
streaked, under parts more narrowly and less 
distinctly streaked; wing coverts tipped with 
Male : length (skins) 4.80-6.10, wing 2.99-3.33, tail 2.14-2.60, bill 
.3S-.50, Female: length (skins) 5.00-5.63, wing 2.77-3.05, tail 2.00-2.40, 
bill .39-.43. 
Fig. 399. Female, 
buffy. 
Remarks. —The sharp uniform streaking of under parts distinguish the 
house finch from the California and Cassin. Individuals suggest dichro¬ 
matism in varying amount of yellow in plumage. (See Condor , Jan. 1901, 
13.). 
Distribution. — Breeds in Upper and Lower Sonoran zones from western 
parts of Kansas and Texas to the Pacific, and from Oregon to northern 
Lower California and northern Mexico. 
Nest. — Compactly woven, largely of dried grass stems and plant fibers, 
placed in trees, cactus, or sagebrush, but preferably about houses. Eggs : 
3 to 6, bluish white or pale greenish blue sparsely speckled, chiefly around 
larger end, with black. 
