132 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



Stejneger recognised two species and several subspecies. 

 His species are Acantliis hornemannii (Holboll), with one 

 subspecies ; and Acanthis linaria (Linn.), with four sub- 

 species. 1 



It is to one of Dr. Stejneger's Nearctic subspecies of 

 Linota linaria to use the generic name most usually 

 accepted in Britain that the bird under consideration 

 belongs, namely to his Acanthis linaria rostrata (Coues). 



When my friend Mr. W. L. MacGillivray informed me 

 that he had obtained another Mealy Redpoll in Barra 

 ("Annals," 1901, p. 115), I expressed a strong desire to 

 see this and the other Barra specimens in his possession, 

 with a view to determine, if possible, to what race these 

 rare visitors to that far western island belonged. Mr. 

 MacGillivray kindly sent me three specimens, all that have 

 been obtained, and I have no hesitation in assigning these 

 examples to the bird originally described by Dr. Coues as 

 sEgiot/ius rostratiis, but now, as I have already indicated, 

 awarded subspecific rank by American ornithologists as 

 ''Acanthis linaria rostrata (Coues), Stejneger," and also 

 known to them by the somewhat unfortunate name of the 

 " Greater Redpoll." 



This well-marked species, or subspecies, or race, which- 

 ever it may be considered, is characterised by its stout, 

 obtuse bill, which has the upper mandible "decidedly de- 

 curved and its outline noticeably convex " ; by its dark colour, 

 and the heavy black streaks on the breast, sides of the 

 abdomen, and flanks ; and by its large size, the wing measur- 

 ing some 3 inches or more. It is a native of Greenland 

 and north-eastern North America, moving south irregularly 

 in winter to New England, New York and Northern Illinois 

 ("Am. Orn. Union Check-list" (2 ed.), p. 218), but has also 

 occurred in winter in Connecticut and Montana (" The Auk," 

 1901, p. 195). 



Linota rostrata has not hitherto been detected in any 

 portion of Great Britain. In Ireland, however, it has 

 occurred as a rare straggler on several occasions on the 

 islands of Achill and Tearaght, off the West Coast, and 



1 In the former species and its ally, the lower back and uropygium are pure 

 white ; in the latter and its allies these parts are streaked with brown. 



