GREY-CROWNED LINNET. 593 



noise, and sometimes go off with a simultaneous twitter. Oc- 

 casionally they descend from their favorite birches and pick 

 up sun-flower seeds and those of the various weedy Cheno- 

 podiums growing in wastes. At length they seemed attracted 

 to the Pines, by the example of the Crossbills and were 

 busily employed in collecting their seeds. As the weather 

 becomes colder they also roost in these sheltering evergreens ; 

 and confused flocks are seen whirling about capriciously in 

 quest of fare, sometimes descending on the fruit trees, to 

 feed on their buds, by way of variety. Though thus 

 urged from their favorite regions in the north there appeared 

 no obvious reason for their movements, as we found them 

 fat, and not driven to migrate from any imminent necessity. 



GREY-CROWNED LINNET. 



(Fringilla tephrocotis, Nobis. Linaria (Leucosticte) tephrocotis, 

 SwAiNSON, North. Zool. ii. p. 265. pi. 50.) 



Sp. Charact. — Umber-brown ; crown blackish; hind head greyish- 

 white ; lesser wing and tail cov^erts with the flanks, tipped with 

 rose-red. 



Only a single specimen of this singular new bird was 

 obtained on the banks of the Saskatchewan, in the month 

 of May. 



Length 6 inches 9 lines ; the tail 2 inches 8 lines ; the folded wing 

 4 inches ; the bill above ^ an inch, to the rictus 6^ lines ; tarsus 9 

 lines ; middle toe ^ an inch. — Dark chestnut-brown or deep umber 

 color, somewhat paler on the belly, and darkest on the chin, neck 

 and ears. Front brownish-black, gradually changing posteriorly into 

 shining ash-grey, which becomes almost white on the hind head. 

 Nasal feathers whitish and shining. Wings, tail, and their coverts 

 clove-brown. The lesser wing coverts broadly edged with bright 

 peach-blossom red ; the greater coverts more slightly margined with 

 red ; and the wings and tail have only narrow and pale edgings. Rump 

 50* 



