i6 



Biitis/i Birds. 



Holboell's Rkdi'oli. [CauiKibiiui holbnlli). 

 This a large form of Meal}- Redpoll with a much 

 stouter bill. Two specimens have been obtained in 

 England, near Norwich, in Januar}'. They were 

 former!}' in the collection of Mr. John Gould, and 

 are now in the British Museum. The habitat of 

 this species is Scandinavia and Eastern Siberia, 

 so that it can only be considered a rare and 

 occasional visitor to this countrv. 



The Large-billed Me.xly Redpoll (Canna- 

 bina rostratu \. This form differs from the pre- 

 ceding one in having a larger and more obtuse bill, and in i)eing very coarsely striped 

 on the flanks. It mhabits Greenland and Eastern North America, and I have 

 recently seen two specimens shot m .Achill Island, on the West Coast of Ireland, 

 by Mr. J. Sheridan. 



CoUEs' Redpoll (Cannabimi e.vilipt's) is an inhabitant of Arctic America, as well as 

 the Northern part of the Old World, from Northern Scandinavia across Siberia. It is 

 very similar to the Mealy Redpoll, but is easi!}- distinguished from that species by its un- 

 streaked white rump. I know of four specimens having been captured in England, \'iz. : 

 three in Yorkshire and one near Tring, in Hertfordshire. It doubtless occurs more 

 frequently than is suspected, and is confounded with the ordinar}' Mealy Redpoll. 



The Greenland Redpoll ( Caunnbiiia honiemanni) is another big race of Redpoll, 

 resembling C. exilipes, but differing in its larger size, and having a wing of 3-2 — 3-4 

 inches, instead of 3 inches, as in Coues' Redpoll. Its home is in Iceland, Greenland, 

 and Eastern North America, and it has only occurred unce in England, a specimen 

 having been shot in Durham in April, 1S55. 



The Hovse-Svarrow (Passer lioiinsticHS). In the -...*-«,=:,. 



common Sparrow we have perhaps the most abundant 

 species of bird in the world, and there is no doubt 

 that it is a species which needs little encouragement, 

 as it takes up its abode in ever}- kind of situation 

 where cultivation provides it with a living, and not 

 only drives away more useful species, but is in many 

 places an absolute pest. Against the damage which 

 the Sparrow unquestionably does to grain crops, 

 must be recorded the tact that, like most Einches, it 

 feeds its young largely upon insects, and, I have 

 seen one shot with the crop absolutely crammed with 

 the Bean Aphis. Nevertheless, the general verdict of 

 those countries into which the Sparrow has been 

 introduced, seems to be that it is a pest, as it ousts the Thi; Sparrow. 



