318 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



Distribution. — Breeds in Alpine zone on the mountains of Colorado, 

 descending into the lower zones of the valleys, and south to New Mexico 

 in winter. 



In his Birds of Colorado Mr. Cooke says that the brown-capped 

 leucosticte is never seen below timberline in summer, and nests from 

 12,000 feet to the tops of the highest peaks. In August, he says, 

 "old and young swarm over the summits of the peaks, picking in- 

 sects off the snow. By the last of October or early in November 

 they descend to timberline and remain there through the winter, 

 except as they are driven a little lower by the severest storms. 

 At the same time a few come into the lower valleys almost to the 

 base of the foothills." 



They have been reported from Silverton, where they came in 

 large flocks and were killed for food. 



GENUS ACANTHIS. 



General Characters. — Bill conical, strongly compressed toward end, 

 and usually acute at tip ; nasal plumules nearly covering- basal lialf of 

 bill except in summer plumage ; wing- long, pointed ; tail long, deeply 

 forked ; tarsus very short, side toes much shorter than the middle. 



KEY TO ADULTS. 



1. Upper parts brownish, rump streaked linaria, p. 3l9o 



1 . Upper parts whitish, rump not streaked .... exilipes, p. 318. 



527a. Acanthis hornemannii exilipes (Coues). Hoary Red- 

 poll. 



Adult male in spring. — Bill dusky ; patch on top of head crimson ; cliin 



, — _ black; under parts almost pure white, except for 



^- ^'*'^'»™- pinkish chest and fine streaking on sides ; upper 



■ %— '?m, parts grayish white streaked with dusky; rump 



, , white, tinged with pink. Adidt male in winter : 



^' ""■ similar, but bill yellowish, with dusky tip ; upper 



parts tinged with buffy, dusky streaks narrower. Adult female in spring : 

 like male in spring but without pink on rump or chest. Adult female in 

 winter : similar, but upper parts more strongly tinged with buff, dusky 

 streaks narrower, and bill yellowish, with dusky tip. Male : length (skins) 

 4.H0-5.40, wing 2.8.5-3.07,' tail 2.13-2.50, bill" .27-.34. Female: length 

 (skins) 4.59-5.16. wing 2.74-2.04. tail 2.10-2.20, bill .27-.34. 



Distribution. — Breeds in northeastern Asia and arctic America ; south 

 in winter, occasionally to the northern United States. Recorded from 

 Massachusetts, Illinois. Maine, and Michigan. 



Nest. — A rather bulky structure, composed largely of small twigs and 

 straws mixed Avith feathers and lined with feathers ; placed in bushes or 

 small tx-ees. Eggs : 2 to 5, pale bluish green, speckled, chiefly around 

 larger end with reddish brown, sometimes mixed with a few black specks 

 or lines. 



The hoary redpoll, Mr. Nelson says, is the most abundant of the 

 redpolls in northern Alaska, where it occurs in great numbers. Its 



