CHEYSOMITEIS PINUS, PINE LINNET. 115 



I am now incliued to the opinion, that my Jl(j. fuscesceiu, originally clescriljed from 

 Labrador as a distinct species, and subsequently, in the Key, reduced to a variety, will 

 finally prove to have been based merely upon the midsummer plumage of ordinary 

 Unaria. At this season the whole plumage becomes much darker — partially as a me- 

 chanical effect of the wearing away of the lighter edgings of the feathers — the bill 

 blackens, and the nasal 2)htmHl(e are somewhat deficient. This would correspond pre- 

 cisely with the now determined summer condition of Leucosticte tephrncotis. Yar. 

 exilipcs is better marked ; it a])pears to consist of the more nearly stationary individu- 

 als, this particular form having been rarely, if ever, observed in the United States. 

 The small size of the bill and feet, heavy nasal phtnndw, and hoariuess of plumage, all 

 indicate a boreal race. By those who separate the Greenland " c(inei<cens'" as a species, 

 exiVqjes is rated as a variety of the latter rather than of Unaria ; but the Greenland bird 

 may be merelj' one link iu a chain, rather better marked than usual, in consequence of 

 its isolation and continual subjection, for an indefinite period, to special modifying in- 

 fluences. The synonymy of exiUpes is as follows : 



Linota horeaUs, Bp., List, 1838, 34. 



Fringilla horeaUs, AuD., Oru. Biog. v, 1839, 87, pi. 400 ; nee Vieill. 

 Linaria horeaUs, AUD., B. Am. iii, 1841, 120, jil. 178 ; ncc Tcmm. 

 '^giotlitis cane.sccns, Eoss, Edinb. Phil. Journ. 1861, 163; hcc Anct. 

 ^{jiothus exiUpes, CouES, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1861, 385 ; 1869, 187.— Elliot, B. N. A. pi. 9. 

 ^(jiotlms linaria var. cxilipes, Codes, Key, 1872, 131, pi. 3, f. 6. 

 Jifjiothus cancseens var exilijyes, EiDGW., Mss.— B. B. & E., N. A. B. i, 1874, 493, pi. 22, f. 2. 



In ]\Iinnesota, according to Mr. Trippe, "the Lesser Eed-poll appears 

 in vast numbers about the middle of October, and remains during the 

 entire winter, proceeding northward, however, some weeks before the 

 Snow Buntings and Longspurs.'' The Red-poll lays four or five eggs of 

 a pale bluish green color, speckled chiefly in a wreath round the large 

 end with confluent lilotches of pale-reddish brown, purplish-brown, and 

 a few darker-brown tints. Sometimes an egg is obsoletely freckled all 

 over with pale reddish-brown. The size is about 0.70 by 0.50. Great 

 numbers were observed, and many specimens secured, by Lieutenant 

 Mullan's Expedition, while surveying for a military road from Walla- 

 Walla to Fort Bridger. Like other species of this roving tribe, the Eed- 

 poll may be expected to occur iu winter, at irregular periods, throughout 

 the greater part, if not the whole, of the Missouri region. A consider- 

 able flock made their appearance at Fort Eandall, Dakota, in the early 

 part of March, and remained for several days. 



The same gentleman writes me that he saw large flocks, in the latter 

 part of November, in Western Kansas and Eastern Colorado, feeding on 

 the seeds of various prairie weeds. In Clear Creek County, Colorado, 

 it is "abundant in winter and spring, ranging from the foot-hills up to 

 10,000 feet, and probably somewhat higher. The Lesser Eed-poll haunts 

 the willow and alder thickets along the brooks, and also the poplar 

 groves on the hill-sides. About the middle of April it disappears, re- 

 turning late in November or December." 



CHEYSOMITEIS PINUS, (Wils.) Bp. 



Pine Linnet. 



FringiUa piniis, Wils., Ara. Orn. ii, 1810, 133, pi. 17, f. 1.— Br., Svn. 1828, 111.— Nutt., 

 Man. i, 1832. 511.— All)., Orn. Biog. ii, 1834, 455 ; v, 509 ; pi. 180. 



Linaria j)inu8, AUD., Syn. 1839, 117 : B. Am. iii, 1841, 125. pi. 180.— Giu., B. L. I. 1844, 1 15. 



Chnjsomitrin i)inu8, Br., List, 1838, 33; Consj). Av. i, 185'), 515.— Bn., B. N. A. l'^58, 425.— 

 Coor. ct Suck., N. H. Wash. Ter. 186U, 197 (summer).- Hayd., Ee|'. l-^i;2, 1()5.— 

 SCL. Sc Salv., P. Z. S. 1869, 362 (city of Mexico).- Sc.Micii., M<'Ui. I'.ost. 8oc. 

 i, 1869, .550 (plateau and alpine regioii of Vera Cruz).— Coor., B. C'al. i, 1870, 

 173.— Allkn, Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 17() (luonntainsof Color.ado, up to timber- 

 line, in summer, doubtless breeding). — Aikk.n, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1872, 199 (Wyo- 

 ming).— Mkhu., U. S. Geol. Surv. Ter. 1872, 679.— FiNstn, Abb. Nat. iii, 1872, 

 60 (Alaska).— CoUES, Key, 1872, 131, pi. 3, f. 11, 12— B. B. A: E., N. A. B. i, 1874, 

 4^0, pi. 22, f. 16 ; also of late local writers. 



Chrysomitrin maerophra, Drnis, Esipiisses Oru. pi. 23. — Br., Consj). Av. i, 1850, 515 

 (Mexico ; no tangible characters). 



