514a. WESTERN EVENING GROSBEAK. _Hesperiphona vespertina montana._

Range.--Western United States, breeding in the mountains from New Mexico to British Columbia.

The nesting habits and eggs of this variety are the same as those of the preceding, and the birds can rarely be separated.

515. PINE GROSBEAK. _Pinicola enucleator leucura._

Range.--Eastern North America, breeding from northern New England northward, and wintering to southern New England and Ohio and casually farther. They build in conifers

[Ill.u.s.tration 326: Grayish white.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Evening Grosbeak.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Greenish white.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Pine Grosbeak.]

[Ill.u.s.tration left hand margin.]

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making their nests of small twigs and rootlets, lined with fine gra.s.ses and lichens. During the latter part of May or June they lay three or four eggs, which have a ground color of light greenish blue, spotted and splashed with dark brown, and with fainter markings of lilac. Size 1.00 .70. Pine Grosbeaks have been separated into the following sub-species, the chief distinction between them being in their ranges.

The nesting habits and eggs of all are alike.

515a. ROCKY MOUNTAIN PINE GROSBEAK. _Pinicola enucleator montana._

Range.--Rocky Mountain region from New Mexico to Montana.

515b. CALIFORNIA PINE GROSBEAK. _Pinicola enucleator californica._

Range.--Higher parts of the Sierra Nevadas in California.

515c. ALASKA PINE GROSBEAK. _Pinicola enucleator alascensis._

Range.--Interior of Northwest America from Alaska south to British Columbia.

515d. KADIAK PINE GROSBEAK. _Pinicola enucleator flammula._

Range.--Kadiak Island and the southern coast of Alaska.

516. Ca.s.sIN'S BULLFINCH. _Pyrrhula ca.s.sini._

Range.--Northern Asia; accidental in Alaska.

517. PURPLE FINCH. _Carpodacus purpureus purpureus._

Range.--North America east of the plains, breeding from the Middle States north to Labrador and Hudson Bay; winters in the United States.

These sweet songsters are quite abundant in New England in the summer, but more so north of our borders. While they breed sometimes in trees, in orchards, I have nearly always found their nests in evergreens, usually about three-fourths of the way up. The nests are made of fine weeds and gra.s.ses and lined with horse hair. The eggs, which are usually laid in June, are greenish blue, spotted with dark brownish; size .85 .65.

517a. CALIFORNIA PURPLE FINCH. _Carpodacus purpureus californicus._

Range.--Pacific coast, breeding from central California to British Columbia and wintering throughout California.

The nesting habits and eggs of this darker colored variety are just like those of the last.

[Ill.u.s.tration 327: Greenish blue.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Purple Finch.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Greenish blue.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 515b--517a.]

[Ill.u.s.tration right hand margin.]

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518. Ca.s.sIN'S PURPLE FINCH. _Carpodacus ca.s.sini._

Range.--North America west of the Rockies, breeding from British Columbia south to New Mexico.

This species is similar to the last but the back, wings and tail are darker and the purplish color of the preceding species is replaced by a more pinkish shade. The nesting habits and eggs are the same as those of the eastern Purple Finch; size of eggs .85 .60. Data.--Willis, New Mexico, June 23, 1901. Nest made of twigs and rootlets and lined with horse hair. Collector, F. J. Birtwell.

519. HOUSE FINCH. _Carpodacus mexica.n.u.s frontalis._

Range.--United States west of the Plains and from Oregon and Wyoming to Mexico.

This is one of the best known of western birds, and nests commonly in all situations from trees and bushes to vines growing on porches. Their nests are made of rootlets and gra.s.ses and are lined with horse hair.

Their nesting season includes all the summer months, they raising two and sometimes three broods a season. The three to five eggs are pale greenish blue with a few sharp blackish brown specks about the large end. Size .80 .55.

519b. SAN LUCAS HOUSE FINCH. _Carpodacus mexica.n.u.s ruberrimus._

Range.--Southern Lower California. A slightly smaller variety of the preceding.

519c. SAN CLEMENTE HOUSE FINCH. _Carpodacus mexica.n.u.s clematis._

Range.--San Clemente and Santa Barbara Islands. Somewhat darker than the last.

520. GUADALUPE FINCH. _Carpodacus amplus._

Range.--Guadalupe Island, Lower California.