104 LESSER RED-POLL. 



white, forming the bars across the wings ; thighs cinereous, legs and 

 feet black ; hind claw considerably hooked, and longer than the rest. 



The female is less bright in her plumage above ; and her under parts 

 incline more to an ash color ; the spot on her crown is of a golden crim- 

 son, or reddish saffron. 



One male specimen was considerably larger than the rest; it mea- 

 sured five inches and three quarters in length, and nine inches and a 

 quarter in breadth ; the breast and rump were tawny ; its claws were 

 uncommonly long, the hind one measured nearly three-eighths of an 

 inch ; and the spot on the crown was of a darker hue than that of the 

 rest. 



The call of this bird exactly resembles that of the Fringilla tristis, 

 or common Yellow-bird of Pennsylvania. 



The Red-polls linger in the neighborhood of Philadelphia until about 

 the middle of April ; but whither they retire for the business of incuba- 

 tion, we cannot determine. 



In common with almost all our Finches, the Red-polls become very 

 fat, and are then accounted delicious eating. During the winter above* 

 mentioned, many thousands of them were exposed to sale in the Phila- 

 delphia market, and were readily purchased by those epicures, whose 

 love of variety permits no delicacy to escape them. 



In America this species must breed far to the north, perhaps beyond 

 the residence of man, as they are so tame and unsuspicious that one can 

 openly approach to within five or six feet of them, while they are occu- 

 pied in feeding. As a proof their rarity in Pennsylvania, I have not 

 observed them since the early of the year 1814 ; they were then sc 

 common that they swarmed in the gardens of Philadelphia. — G. Ord. 



