66 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



now divided into two species. The true Mealy Redpoll breeds 

 far north in Europe, Asia and North America, and occurs in 

 Britain in variable numbers as a winter visitor. The Green- 

 land Redpoll, A. I. rostrata (Coues), breeds in south Greenland 

 and winters in Canada and the States, and has occasionally- 

 wandered to the Scottish and Irish islands. Holboll's Redpoll 

 A. I. holbcelli (Brehm), doubtfully distinct from A. I. linaria, is 

 said to occur in the far north of both hemispheres, with a similar 

 range to or at least overlapping that of the typical form. It has 

 been recorded as a vagrant to our islands on several occasions. 

 The Lesser Redpoll A. I. cabaret (Miill) is a common though 

 local resident throughout our islands, more particularly in the 

 north. It was long thought to be confined to Britain, but 

 apparently breeds in the Alps, and possibly other mountainous 

 parts of Europe ; at any rate it is certain that migrants indis- 

 tinguishable from our form reach our shores in autumn, and 

 I have repeatedly seen flocks with other migratory birds passing 

 through the country in May, after our residents had settled 

 down. 



The Lesser Redpoll is a lively little finch ; in spring the male 

 flies to and fro at a considerable height, trilling his simple 

 little love-song, dancing through the air with buoyant, erratic 

 flight. In autumn and winter it is gregarious and sociable, 

 consorting with Siskins, tits and other birds, especially in 

 alders and birches, where it performs gymnastic tricks as it 

 hangs below the swaying twigs to reach the seeds. Suddenly 

 all the birds will rise by common impulse, bounding this way 

 and that above the trees and then as suddenly return to the 

 feast. This is not from fear, for it pays little attention to man ; 

 indeed the bird-catchers can pick their victims from the trees 

 by liming the end of a fishing-rod or long wand. When the 

 birds are feeding or in flight they keep up a continuous 

 twitter. The call-note is aptly likened by Seebohm to the 

 French name " Henri," and it also has a querulous " wheep." 



