294 
.REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. 
persists to the Columbia River. This, I believe, gives it a more northern extension 
than has hitherto been supposed. In summer they are quite local, and crovrl into a 
certain neighborhood of a section to the total disregard of others which, perhaps, ap¬ 
pear no less suited to their economy. I found communities of considerable size thus 
•colonized in certain parts of the pine woods about Eagle Lake, California, and else¬ 
where. In common with others of their kin they are delightful singers, and the burst 
of melody which greets the ear of the chance passer bv as he happens upon one of 
these musical oases in the generally silent forests is no iess pleasing than it is unex¬ 
pected. Like the common goldfinch ( C . tristis ) the males have the habit of singing in 
chorus, and it takes very little imagination to construe their efforts into rival contests. 
Whether they possess such significance to the birds themselves or not, it is certain that 
each individual appears to sing his loudest and best, as though trying to drown the notes 
of his neighbor, or, perhaps, too well pleased with his own efforts to care for aught else. 
The effect, as the medley of delightful strains goes ringing through the leaty arches of 
the pineries, is pleasing in the extreme. 
The nests, of which I have seen many, were all placed on large pines and well out 
toward the ends of the lower limbs. • 
By the latter part of June nearly all the pairs were feeding young,-and none of the 
nests that were accessible contained eggs. 
C. frontalis (Say). House Finch. 
An abundant species wherever found. It was not observed much farther north than 
Honey Lake, Northern California. 
Chrysomiteis Boie. 
C. tristis (L.). Common Goldfinch. 
A common summer resident at many points. Found on the Columbia River in 
October. 
■C. pinus (Wils.). Pine Finch. 
This species occurs along the whole eastern slope in fall and winter, and passes the 
summer in the coniferous belt in much of its extent. In Oregon, from August on, 
wherever I penetrated the mountains, I was almost sure to run across flocks of these 
finches, whose twittering notes often betrayed their presence in the tops of the tall 
pines and spruces when the birds themselves were only visible upon patient scrutiuy. 
Passercueus Bonaparte. 
P. savanna alaudinus Bp. Western Savanna Sparrow. 
Numerous in all wet meadowy lands, and as much so iu Oregon as farther south. 
A nest taken near Washoe Lake, Nev., May 22, contained four fresh eggs. These 
are rather peculiar both in shape and iu markings, although the differences probably 
represent nothing but individual variation and are not distinctive of this western 
race. They are of a greenish-white ground color, heavily blotched in a more or less 
-confluent ring at the larger ends with burnt sienna and various shades of lavender. 
They are short and rounded in shape, measuring (68x55) 2 , 66x54, 65x53. 
P. savanna sandvicensis (Gm.). Sandvich Sparrow. 
The preceding form is the type that prevails in summer all along the eastern slope. 
In fact at only one locality did I detect the presence of the present bird, viz, on 
Crooked River, Oregon, in September. 
A sandy pasture at this point proved favorite ground for the savanna sparrows, and 
a walk through the weed patches usually resulted iu starting up scores. Among the 
rabble I noticed one day an individual of - apparently larger size than the rest, and 
upon shooting discovered it to be of the present race. ‘Further search resulted in the 
acquisition of one additional specimen. So far as known sandvicensis is a strictly coast 
form; but its presence here is, after all, by no means remarkable, since in the fall mi¬ 
gration a few might readily find their way up the Columbia River and so move south 
along the eastern slope. As I did not find it elsewhere, I judge it to be rare. 
Pooecetes Baird. 
P. gramineus covfinis Bd. Western Grass Finch. 
Numerous in the \ alleys. Noted no farther north than Southern Oregon, but with¬ 
out doubt, extending into Washington Territory. 
