8 Prof. J. Reinhardt on the Birds 



33. ^Loxia leucoptera (Gruel.). 



An adult bird, probably a male, dried up in the flesh, was pro- 

 cured nearly thirty years ago at Julianehaab from an Eskiraaux, 

 who brought it with him from the east coast on a visit to that 

 settlement (Ichth. Bidr. p. 10). In later years another adult 

 male and three vouno; birds have been obtained in South Green- 

 land. The specimens are in the Royal Museum. 



34. ^Otocorys alpestris (Linn.). 



A single specimen was shot at Godthaab in October 1835, and 

 presented to the Royal Museum by Holboll. 



Quoting this bird as " alpestris," I certainly do not wish to 

 suggest that it has been misguided to Greenland from " the far 

 east.'' There can be, I think, no doubt that it is an American 

 straggler ; but having no American specimens for comparison, 

 I compared the Greenland specimen with a male of the true 0. 

 alpestris shot in the neighbourhood of Dresden (Germany) and 

 a female from Denmark, and I cannot find any material differ- 

 ence either in colour or in size. I suppose, therefore, that the 

 American 0. cornuta, which Bonaparte himself calls a species " a 

 peine distincte de VO, alpestris," has been established without 

 sufficient reason. 



35. ^Picus varius, Linn. 



I know of two instances in which this Woodpecker has been 

 observed in Greenland. An adult female was found dead on the 

 ground near Julianehaab in July 1845 (and, indeed, birds like 

 Woodpeckers and Crossbills can hardly live more than a few 

 days in a land without trees, such as Greenland). Another 

 female was sent some two or three years ago from South Green- 

 land, but I do not know exactly from what settlement. Both 

 specimens are in the Royal Museum. 



36. ^Colaptes auratus (Linn.). 



My authority for this bird having been found in Greenland is 

 a German ornithologist, the Pastor Moschler, who mentions that 

 he has received a specimen from thence in 1852 (Cabanis' 

 Journ. f. Ornith. 1856, p. 335). Unfortunately Mr. Moschler 

 gives no particulars about this very curious occui'rence. 



fCoLUMBA DOiMESTICA. 



